Achieving gender equity in the labor market: Successes and failures of social policies in democratic Chile

Despite the Chilean economic success and the high number of women appointees in executive positions, a wide gender gap still exists in the political and economic realms, which is even broader than in the rest of Latin America. This study looks at the labor market, an area in which the gender divide is strong and prevents women’s progress. It examines (1) the situation of Chilean women at work since 1990, when democracy was reinstated; (2) the reasons that explain the gender gap in participation and wages; and (3) the policies and legislation that have tried to facilitate women’s advancement, and their eventual success or failure. Current situation of Chilean women at work: While females represent only 39% of the Chilean labor force, the average for the region in the late 1990s was 45%, a figure that escalates to 60% in developed countries. Reasons for inequality: Scholars have found that cultural obstacles (i.e., machismo, conservative values) are twice more important than demographic variables (e.g. education, number of children) at explaining women’s low participation rate. Discrimination and the costs for the company also restrict women’s entrance into the labor market. Policies that address inequality: The main accomplishment since 1990 has been the creation of a women’s state agency. The programs launched by the government (e.g., child care centers, labor force training for low-income women) have not worked as expected. While they have provided assistance in health and childcare, they have failed in providing job training and helping women to organize themselves.