Women in Latin America

By THE DATA TEAM

IN THE past quarter century, more Latin American women have joined the labour force than their counterparts anywhere else in the world. The number of Latin American women in legislatures is among the highest in the world. But they remain underrepresented at the highest levels of business. When one Mexican lawyer asked to be made partner after ten years at the firm, her confused boss asked if her husband’s job was in trouble. Latin American culture lags far behind economic and statistical reality.

This is partly because men here believe that gender parity is economically bad for them. “They have a misconception that the pie is only so big,” says Louise Goeser, who runs Siemens Mesoamérica, an engineering firm. But it is also because of a deeply ingrained culture of machismo (which manifests itself in catcalls on the street), added domestic burdens at home, and unthinking marginalisation at work.

Things are beginning to change. Countries across Latin America are passing laws to protect women from assault and to deal more harshly with their attackers. Civil society, including men, is rallying against violence directed at women. And businesses are starting to see gender diversity as a priority. But until cultural changes are more widespread, women in Latin American will not reach their full potential.

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