Gender, equality, rights and
education in Latin America.
Teresita Garduño.
RIDEF- Freinet International Educators
Meeting.
León, Spain, July-August 2012
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women, 1979. (Ratified
by 186 countries) s) (Art.5º)
“States Parties shall take all appropriate
measures: Changing cultural patterns of conduct
of men and women, with a view to achiev the
elimination of prejudices and customary and all
other practices which are based on the idea
of ​the inferiority or superiority of either of the
sexes or on stereotyped roles men and women ”
Inequality between men and women.
• In recent decades in Latin America and the
Caribbean, although progress was made
towards equality between men and women,
serious injustices persist that maintain a
position of inferiority for the female
population in our societies.
Inequality between men and women.
• Unequal wages.
• Almost exclusive responsibility of housework
and caring for people.
• Violence against women.
• Child labor.
• Early marriage.
• Early pregnancies.
• Armed conflict..
50.62% of Latin America and the
Caribbean population are women.
• According to ECLAC (Economic Commission for
Latin America and the Caribbean) there is 305,
376.000 women of a total population of
603.174, 000.305 million women of 603
million people.
• 305 millions of woman in 603 millions of
people.
• What are their conditions of life, of hope for
the future?
Life expectancy at birth for women.
(CEPAL)
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Argentina: 79.8 years.
Brazil: 77 years.
Chile: 82 years.
Cuba: 81.2 years.
Colombia: 77.4 years.
Mexico: 78.9 years.
Uruguay: 80.5 years.
1950-Latin America and the Caribbean: 53.1 years..
Multiple discrimination
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Race.
Ethnicity.
Social class.
Location.
Sexual orientation.
Disabilities.
Migration
•Gender
SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Global fertility cup
(Children per woman) (CEPAL-ONU)
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1950-1955
Argentina: 3.15
Brazil: 6.15
Chile: 4.95
Colombia: 6.76
Mexico: 6.7
Uruguay: 2.73
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2005-2010
Argentina: 2.25
Brazil: 1.9
Chile: 1.9
Colombia: 2.45
Mexico: 2.21
Uruguay: 2.12
Global fecundity rate vs. fertility rate between
15 and 19 years: world comparison. (ESA Population)
Global fecundity rate (Daughtersons)
Between 15 y 19 years
(Births per 1000 women)
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The world: 2.55
Africa: 4.68
Asia: 2.35
Europe: 1.43
Latin America and the
Caribbean: 2.38
• North America: 1.98
• Oceania: 2.23
52.9
103.4
39.94
17.41
75.67
• 45.49
• 25.5
Maternal mortality rate:
Comparison between 1990-2010.
Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
• Argentina* 1990:71/ 2010:77
• Brazil* 1990:120/ 2010:56
• Chile* 1990:56/ 2010:25
• Colombia* 1990:170/ 2010:92
• Mexico* 1990:92/ 2010:50
• Uruguay* 1990:39/ 2010:29
Contraceptive use among married
women 15 to 49 years. (CEPAL)
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Argentina* 2001: 65.3%
Brazil* 2006: 80.3%
Chile* 2006: 64.2%
Colombia* 2005: 78.2%
Mexico* 2006: 70.9%
Uruguay* 2004: 77%
Teen Pregnancy. (ESAR Foundation:
Education for Reproductive Health)
• Bolivia* 2003: 14.7% 2008: 18%
• Over 25% of mothers had completed only
primary education.
• Only 1 in 4 mothers used a contraceptive
method.
• Colombia* 1995:17.4% 2010:19%
Increase of the adolescent pregnancy in
Latin America: 15 to 19. (CELADE-CEPAL)
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Argentina*1992: 11.9% 2001: 12.4%
Bolivia* 1992: 11.7% 2001: 13.5%
Brazil*1991: 11.5% 2000: 14.8%
Chile*1992: 11.8% 2002: 12.3%
Mexico*1990: 10.4% 2000: 12.1%
Uruguay*1985: 8.4% 1995: 13.9%
Causes of teen pregnancy.
• Persistence of high rates of teenage pregnancy and
motherhood in the region.
• Increasingly early beginning of the sexuality
intercourse in young people.
• Uncertain impact exerted by the "eroticization" of
media, including programs for children and adolescents
• Insufficient sex education in the educational system in
many countries
• Lack of public policies on sexual and reproductive
health for adolescents and young women are not
united
• No consideration of sexual rights.
Women with a correct and extent
knowledge on HIV / AIDS(DENU:ONU)
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Argentina* 2001: 65.3%
Brazil* 2006: 80.3%
Chile* 2006: 64.2%
Colombia: 24.1%
Mexico* 2006: 70.9%
Uruguay* 2004: 77%
Children commercial sexual
exploitation.
• Latin American countries are becoming
increasingly popular as places of rest and
relaxation, and the increasing flow of tourists
into and out of countries has resulted in a
further increase in the number of sexually
exploited children.
• There is also a lack of commitment by
governments to address the problem.
Countries with action plan against
child sexual exploitation (OEA. May 2002)
Yes
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Argentina.
Brazil.
Chile.
Colombia.
United States.
Mexico.
No
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Bolivia.
Canada.
Honduras.
Panamá.
Venezuela.
Uruguay
WOMEN AND THE ECONOMY
Number of women as heads of
households in Latin America. (CEPAL)
• In poor households: 100% women.
• In non-poor households:
– Argentina: 91.9%
– Brazil: 81.2%.
– Chile: 86.6%
– Colombia: 62.2%
– Mexico: 77.3%
– Uruguay: 94.5%.
% of women’s income in relation to men in
urban areas, by schooling years.
With 0 to 3 years of schooling
• Argentina: 43.5%
• Brazil: 60.9%
• Colombia: women: 15.2%
men: 10.6%
• Mexico men: 7.6%
• Uruguay: 65.8%
With 13 years or more
• Argentina: 66.4%
• Brazil: 55.6%
• Colombia: Women: 13.1%
men 9.9%
• Mexico: 47.4%
• Uruguay: 62.4%
% of women in wage employment in
urban areas
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Argentina: 42.6%
Brazil: 40.3%.
Chile: 32.8%
Colombia: 48.8%
Mexico: 37.3%
Uruguay: 46.4%.
Women dedicated only to unpaid domestic work.
(Spouses with a child between 0 and 6.) (CEPAL)
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Argentina: 41.3%.
Chile: 25.2%.
Colombia: 35.4%.
Mexico: 55.2%.
Uruguay: 27.5%.
Unemployment rate by years of
schooling (2010- CEPAL)
Women
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Brazil- 0 to 5 years school : 12%
13 years or more: 5.7%
Chile – 0 to 5 years school: 12.3%
13 years or more: 10%
Colombia: -0 to 5 years school: 15.2%
13 years or more: 13.1%
Mexico: - 0 to 5 years school: 4.3%
13 years or more: 5.5%
• Uruguay: - 0 to 5 years school: 9.1%
13 years or more: 4.7%
Men
• Brazil: 0 to 5 years school: 7%
13 years o more: 4.3%
• Chile: 0 to 5 more school: 9.2%
13 years or more: 7.5%
• Colombia: 0 to 5 years school: 10.6%
13 years or more: 9.9%
• Mexico: 0 to 5 years school: 7.6%
13 years o more: 5.6%
• Uruguay: 0 to 5 years school: 5-2%
13 years or more: 3.4%
Economically active urban population
15 years or more. (2010-CEPAL)
Men
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Argentina: 73.9%
Brazil: 79.1%
Chile: 71.1%
Colombia: 79.5%
Mexico: 79.1%
Uruguay: 74.2%
Woman
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Argentina: 48%
Brazil: 57.8%
Chile: 44.1%
Colombia: 59.3%
Mexico: 47.1%
Uruguay: 55.5%
Working population covered by social
security systems. (CEPAL-2005)
Woman
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Argentina: 63.6%
Brazil: 70.1%
Mexico: 64.5%
Uruguay: 76.5%
Men
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Argentina: 65.4%
Brazil: 72.5%
Mexico: 61.3%
Uruguay: 78%
WOMAN AND EDUCATION
Average schooling years in urban and rural population
of 15 to 24. (CEPAL)
Urban population
• Argentina: Woman-11.2 y./
Men-10.5 y.
• Colombia: Woman- 10.2 y.
/Men- 9.7 y.
• Mexico: Woman-10.6 years
Men-10.2 y.
• Uruguay: Woman-9.8 years
Men-9.1 y.
Rural population
• Colombia: Woman- 7.7 y./
Men- 7 y.
• Mexico: Woman- 9.2 y./
Hombre-s 8.7 a.
• Uruguay: Woman-9.3 y./
Men-8.4 y.
% of population with Bachelors degree
(UNESCO-IEU)
Woman
• Argentina: 86% (2009)
• Brazil: 29%. (2005)
• Chile: 60.9% (2009)
• Colombia: 40.9% (2010)
• Mexico: 28.4% (2010)
• Uruguay: 94.5%. (2005)
Men
• Argentina: 56.9%
• Brazil: 22.4%.
• Chile: 57.5%
• Colombia: 37.4%
• Mexico: 27.6%
• Uruguay: 94.5%.
Young woman´s (20 a 24 years) assistance
to school by economic status.(1º level , the poorest)
• Colombia: *1º:11.8% *2º:14.5% *3º:19%
*4º:28.7% *5º:47%
• Mexico: *1º:7% *2º:11.6% *3º:21.3%
*4º:29.6% *5º:44.7%
• Uruguay: *1º:7% *2º:11.6% *3º:21.3%
*4º:29.6% *5º:44.7%
Indigenous girls and women and
inequality.(PNUD: Human Development Report)
• Indigenous girls and women have been
affected by gender inequality.
• In Guatemala, where the presence of
indigenous communities is very high, girls
reach 0.9 years of schooling and indigenous
children 1.8 years.
• In the group of women aged 20 to 24, 7 in 10
have no schooling
Feminization of teaching.(PROMEDLAC)
• The feminization of teaching in Latin America is a reality of
early childhood education and basic education: 97% and 77%.
• The teaching career is part of the so-called "women’s career "
where they perform duties of care that prolongs maternal
roles, this situation itself is a manifestation of gender
inequality.
• Gender is a classifier approach, since the growth of
specialization decreases the level of women’s participation.
• The less prestigious teaching positions and salary are
occupied by women.
Incomplete primary-functional
illiteracy.
• In Latin America there are about 110 million
women.
• 40% of them have completed primary.
• That is, about 55 million.
• If we add the illiterate women, we have about
75 million of silent adult basic education
demand.
Textbooks(Case of Colombia)
• Natural Science Books
• Most of the language used (97.6%) is male
generic language.
• The words that account for this percentage
are "students", "children" and "teachers".
(alumnos", "niños" y "maestros“)
• Only in two occasions inclusive language is
used, when speaking of the "people" and the
population.
Masculine semantic emphasis.
• Examples:
– "Man has developed tools ...
– “The digestive system of man.“
– "Primitive man".
– "Share with your classmates.“
– "Don Gregorio bought seeds ...“
Equity language, non-sexist, nor discriminatory. (Curriculum of
the Ministry of Education and Science. Spain 1990)
• "The teaching and transmission of sexist language
in schools, and accepted as valid language and
without a critical policy, constitute discrimination
that involves negative effects on society as a
whole.
• It is necessary therefore to take action from
school and try to rectify the discriminatory
discourse that students receive in their daily lives
by helping to promote research and open
attitude towards the language, unprejudiced and
not trivialize its ideological importance " (P.129).
Iinternet access: Men and Woman.
Population aged 15 and over 60 years.
• Brazil* Men: 37.6% Woman: 37%.
• Mexico* Men: 27.4% Woman: 25%.
• Uruguay* Men: 38% Woman: 37.7%.
WOMAN AND DEMOCRACY
Women’s right to vote
• Nueva Jersey, created in 1776…
• Abolished in 1807…
• Approved in 1869 in Wyoming, equal suffrage
(but not universal for dark skinned people)
• Approved in the 1927 plebiscite in Uruguay
Cerro Chato in 1927;
• Spain, 2nd Republic, 1931. .
1933 referendum in Eibar.
Women’s right to vote .
• Ecuador, 1933.
• Mexico en 1953.
The right to vote:Nueva York, 1912
Woman in the political decision-making …
(CEPAL)
• Woman en minister cabinets. Executive
power. Some examples:
– Argentina: 72.7% Men- 27.3% Woman.
– Brazil: 72.5% Men- 27.5% Woman.
– Chile: 79.4% Men- 20.6% Woman.
– Colombia: 69.2% Men- 30.8% Woman.
– Mexico: 84.8% Men- 15.2% Woman.
– Uruguay: 89.5% Men- 10.5% Woman.
– Spain: 52.2% Men- 42.8% Woman.
Woman president
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Michelle Bachelet
Final reflections
• A great effort must be done to achieve equity
in school access for girls and woman.
• It is necessary to review the language and
content management to eliminate sexist
transmissions.
• Public policies are required to promote equal
access to work, politics and science.
Final reflections.
• Woman must be visible in a world of male
dominance.
• Violence against woman must be eradicated .
• Gender equality is not only expressed in equal
numbers in the school benches, but in the
availability, access, continuity and respect for
the rights of girls and woman.
Final reflections.
• The school must break the stereotype of male
dominance over female, domestic work as a
female space, affective expression as a
feature of the woman.
• The curricula, teaching materials, language,
examples, career expectations, uniform colors,
songs, games, toys and rituals should be
analyzed to achieve gender equity.
Final reflections
• The role of woman in history, in scientific
development and art is routinely forgotten,
the role is almost exclusively for males. This
creates the invisible women.
• Males absorb more of the attention of
teachers and carry out more control of the
game space.
Final reflections.
• The expectation of mothers, fathers, male and
female teachers is different for girls. The
future of the woman is not just being wives
and mothers.
• The point of view about gender and the
inclusion of equally as a principle in education
is to benefit everyone, for the full exercise of
human rights.