Statement in Women's History Month

In March, the month in which "International Women's Day" is commemorated, the researchers who make up the CLACSO Working Group on Sensibilities, Subjectivities and PovertyWe want to reflect on the inequality faced by Latin American women within the framework of the capitalist and colonial system. The need to respect differences from an intersectional rights perspective becomes crucial, especially given the high rates of gender-based violence against women. 

This date serves as an invitation to remember the various disadvantages women face and have historically faced: entering the labor market under worse conditions than their male counterparts; the feminization of poverty and of the disproportionate reliance on programs designed to address it; and the unequal distribution of unpaid domestic work. In the face of these realities, and accompanied by mobilizations and collective struggles, reflecting on these issues from a perspective of women's sensibilities is an attempt to make visible how, despite increased awareness of these problems and inequalities, the traditional roles and positions assigned to genders remain largely unchanged.

The incorporation of women into the workforce outside the home grew steadily from the beginning of the 20th century and intensified from the 1970s onward. This was a priority for 20th-century production, as it allowed for an increase in the wage-earning workforce at low cost. However, even today, women's work remains more closely linked to job insecurity, characterized by greater informality, fewer hours, and a high concentration in specific service sectors, such as caregiving.

These situations make this universe a place of profound pain; we must reflect and take action in the face of growing inequality and lack of respect for differences.

March 2020
Workgroup
Sensibilities, subjectivities and poverty