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Add to Preferred SourcesMore women are entering the workforce across Latin America, with an increase in 11 percent in the last 30 years, putting the region ahead of the curve when it comes to growth in female labour force participation, according to new data published by the United Nations.
The research gathered jointly by the UN’s Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), spotlights the array of factors influencing women’s labour participation in the region while highlighting the social and economic benefits of women in the workforce.
Women’s access to paid opportunities and the narrowing of gender gaps are “crucial for growth, equality and poverty reduction in the region,” the authors highlight in the new study.
Despite a closing disparity between the number of working men versus women, the new figures demonstrate that the gap between women’s labour participation versus that of men still amounts to more than 25 percent on average. Further, a deeper dive into pay scale shows that for each hour worked, women’s earnings are on average 17 percent below those of men, of the same age and education and economic status.
Large differences also exist among countries in the region when it comes to the pace of growth, and the levels of female participation achieved, with figures lagging significantly in developing countries.
In 2018 overall, over half of all women (aged 15 or over) in 18 countries in the region were working, with Peru taking the lead at 68.7 percent, followed by Bolivia with 63 percent, and among the lowest, Costa Rica at 45.1 percent, and 43. 5 percent in Mexico.
The gaps can be attributed to an array of circumstances; from national economic status, to social and cultural expectations, the authors note, and it is “crucial” to take into account that the decision to work, in turn, has an impact on other facets of life.
Greater participation of women in the workforce pursues gender equity goals, as established in the UN’s Sustainable Development target (SDG 5), which highlights that gender equality is not only a human right but a prerequisite to achieving a peaceful and sustainable world, the report highlights.
Original source: UN News
Published on 28 October 2019