In Costa Rica, the female population reaches 2,451,720. More than 25% of that amount live in rural areas and 73.6% live in urban areas.
According to data from the National Institute of Census and Statistics (INEC), these women continue to face wage gaps within the private sector, unemployment, and lack of equity in the care of children, people with disabilities and the elderly.
In the last quarter of 2017, the female population reached an unemployment rate of 12.3%, that is, 62.5% higher than that of men, and they continue to perceive less money. Another of the data provided by the INEC is that women who have professions related to science and technology, earn 16.8% less than men in the same field. Those who have other professions, earn 6.2% less, and those who perform basic functions, 6.4%.
Even so, women still have higher levels in terms of completing their higher education. Up to the last quarter of 2017, 62.1% of the women had achieved their university degree, 63.5% higher than the degrees granted to men.
According to Camila Ordóñez, a researcher at the Center for Women’s Studies at the University of Costa Rica (CIEM), inequality is seen even at home. The population still doesn’t understand that everyone has the same rights and duties, and this will not change.
In 2016, 2946 licenses were granted to women for the care of sick people, a figure four times higher than those granted to men. Similarly, in 2017, women remained as the head of households in poverty conditions with 23.5%, that is, 31% higher than male counterparts.
Another outstanding data, given by the executive president of INAMU, Alejandra Mora, is that in the private sphere, women invest 37 hours a week in domestic work and men invest only 15 hours a week.
The minister stressed that culture, the undervaluation of women, and access to private banking are other challenges in which civil society must work to achieve equity.