Women, The Family And Health

Mrs. María Cristina de la Vega de Cincunegui

Words of Mrs. María Cristina de la Vega de Cincunegui upon the opening and welcomimg to the Seminar “Women, Family and Health” in the Centro Cultural Recoleta; a special celebration of the the one hundredth anniversary of the Council of Women of the Republic of Argentina.

Good Morning, Ladies and Gentlemen……

On behalf of The Council of Women of the Republic of Argentina, I would like to give special thanks for the moral support that Mrs. Inés Pertiné de la Rúa, wife of the President of the nation, has given to us with her decision to take part in this meeting. Nevertheless, because of prior obligations of a public nature, she is not able to be present here today.

We extend our sincere appreciation to the official personalities, national and foreign experts and specialists, representatives of NGO’s, speakers, participants, attendees, and to all the sponsors, without whose help it would not have been possible to bring about this meeting.

By this act, we formally inaugurate the workshop “Women, Family and Health” with which we begin the celebration of our centennial.

Supported by the International Council of Women, one hundred years have gone by since we began down this road.

Today as yesterday, together with them and the Regional Council of the Americas, we share programs that protect the women of the world.

Thanks to the support of the International Council and for the support of the Regional Council of the Americas, we have successfully put together this seminar that we proudly present to you today.

The founder of the Council of Women of the Republic of Argentina was Doctor Cecilia Grierson, the first female physician in Argentina. Her example and her efforts guide us toward obtaining complete recognition of the rights of women.

Since the first years, our council has been involved in presenting and supporting legal projects, among which we cite:

Protection of motherhood
Equality of civil rights for women
Abolition of the inequalities that weigh on married women
Co-participation of women in parental authority
Political rights of women through the democratic vote

And so, we will be able to continue enumerating so many other conquests obtained during long and difficult processes. These achievements are based on virtue, and have overcome what is many times unreasonable or small-minded opposition.

We believe that to promote laws and to develop programs such as the one we present today is to contribute to the betterment of the society in which we live.

Our current project is to continue working together with other NGO’s to support the social networks to which we belong as coordinators: The Steering Committee for Social Wellbeing and its six sections:

ADELCO, BIENSO, Campaign Against Hunger, CIVHA, INCISO and OPAM

A few days ago we had the good fortune to be summoned to the prestigious Argentine Table for Women’s Organizations.

Also, we have been invited to participate in the National Commission for the Participation of NGO/s and other health entities.

This social framework about which we speak, includes us and helps us to project ourselves. Because of this we are able to say, that one hundred years from our initial project, today as yesterday, we continue exercising, with the same faith, the culture of solidarity, the indispensable engines of our organizations.

At this moment, we wish to make clear our feelings about the absence of our dear ex-president, Shirley Tanco, who being still in charge of her appointment, died on October 28 of last year. It was she who was the driving force for this meeting. She continued working to her last breath, leaving us an organization on its way.

To Shirley Tanco, who bequeathed to us her generous concern, and respect for others, her greatness of spirit and her solidarity, showing an unbreakable will, we pay homage with a minute of silence.

Thank you very much.

Last Modified: June 05, 2010