Gender Equity Promotion in the Private Sector in Mexico : The Development of a Successful Model

Abstract

Worldwide, most countries recognize equal rights between men and women. Many have produced regulations intended to fight discrimination and programs granting women access to health, education, and economic rights such as land ownership. However, the fact remains that women have fewer opportunities than men to benefit from economic development, with lower participation in the labor force. Even in the most advanced countries, their wages average 73 percent of those of men. International programs such as the millennium development goals point out the benefits of addressing gender inequality and the positive impact this can have on poverty reduction. This and other similar initiatives have been successful in improving the social conditions of women but have been less effective in enhancing women's participation in economic activities. In the private sector in particular, the advantages of giving equal opportunities to men and women have not been fully assessed. While the principle of gender equity in the workplace is generally accepted, discriminatory practices persist in many organizations despite regulations to the contrary. The Gender Equity Model (GEM) developed and tested in Mexico has proved to be a successful tool for promoting gender equity in the private sector under a participatory approach that has gained support by workers and staff alike.