Although Costa Rica has obtained a high level of human development, there is a notable gap experienced by women as far as economic benefits, ​​and women also lag behind in other areas, said the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) this week.

For example, on the positive side, women in Costa Rica live on average five years longer than men and average a year more formal education than men, according to the World Development Report of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); but men’s incomes are 81 percent more than women’s on average.

Women’s increased educational achievement has not translated into equal economic opportunities, said Kryssia Brade, UNDP Assistant Representative during the report on the most recent Human Development Index this week. In Costa Rica, 54.5 percent of adult women have at least one year of secondary education compared to 53.8 percent of men.

“The report also noted that in Costa Rica, only 33.3 percent of parliamentary seats are held by women … and female participation in the labor market is much lower for women, notable 46.8 percent compared to 76.6 percent of men,” said Brade.

The participation of Costa Rican women in the labor force (46.8 percent) is lower than the average for Latin America and the Caribbean (52.8 percent) and much lower than the average for high human development countries (56.5 percent).

A study by the National University estimates that in Costa Rica, female employees earn up to 27 percent less in the private sector, and according to the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses, only one-third of managers and directors in the private sector are women.

Gender equality in Costa Rica is also negatively affected by the adolescent fertility rate of 56.5, which is double that of countries with high human development at 27.4 births per thousand women between 15 and 19 years.

In addition, Costa Rica is ranked in the third of countries globally with the highest inequality in the male-female unemployment rate, and in the relationship between men and women receiving retirement insurance. The report is vehement in stating that it is not possible to achieve human development for all people if half of humanity is overlooked.

“Costa Rica should continue to promote affirmative action to address this outstanding debt with women, such as the establishment of quotas, the establishment of subsidized credit mechanisms, and specific measures aimed at correcting discrimination. It is also crucial to ensure the implementation of horizontal and vertical parity of women and men in political participation,” said Brade.

The official also emphasized that education with a gender focus is fundamental from an early age, so that care-taking and domestic work do not continue to be viewed as the sole responsibility of women, since this limits their ability to join the labor market in favorable conditions, and these views have restricted women’s economic autonomy.