FEMALE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION AND GENDER DIVIDEND IN LATIN AMERICA

Closely related to the demographic dynamics and the changes in reproductive behavior, it has been observed a marked increase of women participation in economic activities. We talk about a gender dividend insofar as this process may turn into a direct contribution of women to the countries' economic growth, complementing and fostering the demographic dividend.
Based on the data from household surveys and projections of economically active population for the Latin American countries, which are available at ECLAC, this study aims at describing and projecting women’s labor force participation in economic activity in a context of gender equality.
This study intends to be a contribution to the theoretical and methodological development of the topic and to contribute to raising awareness and capacity in the countries of the region in assessing the economic impact of demographic changes and incorporating a gender-based approach into sustainable development and poverty reduction policies.