Women in the Americas: Bridging the Gender Gap

Abstract

Inequality between men and women in Latin America persists in everything from wages to health care, education, and access to credit. Based on studies for an IDB-sponsored forum in Guadalajara, Mexico, this book examines the respective roles of men and women in development. Prevailing social policies in the region often view men as income earners and women as wives and mothers, neglecting the role of women in the work force and as community leaders. Based on the central tenet that understanding gender differences is vital to development planning, this book focuses on the status of women in social policy, the labor force, the political process, and the environment. It also examines how the concept of gender equity could be better incorporated into mainstream development policy.