Gender issues run deep in Latin America

Outlook

With several female heads of state in Central and South America in recent years, and legislation to ensure a minimum of women candidates for Congress, gender inequality in high-level politics has looked set to diminish.

Yet other statistics are less encouraging. According to the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, in 2014 there were 118.2 women living in poverty for every 100.0 men -- up from 107.1 in 2002. Among the indigent, there are 121.5 women for every 100.0 men.

Honduras, with one of the world’s highest homicide rates, also has the highest rate of femicides in the region, at 12.9 per 100,000 (531 in absolute terms). Although much lower per 100,000, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia have the largest absolute numbers of reported femicides in South America; the latter two show the highest number of women killed by their partner or former partner.

Impacts

• Increasing protests over gender violence across the region suggest that the issue is gaining political salience.
• High percentages of women without their own income or in low productivity jobs will hinder progress in gender inequality.
• The Latin American Development Bank says greater political and economic inclusion for women could boost regional growth by 34%.
• Gender inequality appears increasingly linked to socioeconomic level, despite increasing education for women.