May 1st: Women for equality in the labor market

May 1st is a day of struggle for workers around the world. It's also a good opportunity to continue reflecting on progress, setbacks, and outstanding issues, among which the disparity in opportunities and wages between women and men in the labor market remains prominent.

Gender equality in the labor market is not a women's issue but a responsibility for everyone because, when women advance, so does society as a whole.

Although women represent slightly more than half of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean, their contribution to the region's economic activity, growth, and well-being is far below their potential.

In our continent, 4 out of 10 workers are women, and the gender pay gap is 22%. In this context, many women continue to perform unpaid domestic work instead of having paid jobs.

Much of the gender difference in the labor market stems from a marked sexual division of labor at the household level, and the gender pay gap is minimized if the analysis is restricted to the group of workers who do not live with a partner.

This May Day, it is fitting to reaffirm that women's participation in the labor market must be a priority. Expanding access to childcare services, extended-day schools, and the availability of elder care services are ways to achieve this.