76.2% of women worldwide spend on average 3.2 times more time than men on unpaid caregiving work (ILO). In Colombia, women dedicate an average of 7 hours and 44 minutes daily to caregiving tasks, while men dedicate 3 hours and 6 minutes (ENUT-DANE). The caregiving economy, the unpaid work done at home, is fundamental for sustaining life and social well-being, but it continues to be made invisible in many economies.
Recognizing the fundamental role that women play in the caregiving economy in Colombia, Pro Mujer, a social enterprise that has been working for over 34 years to advance gender equality in Latin America, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Colombia, through its “Generando Equidad” (“Generating Equity”) program, are joining efforts to support women who perform unpaid household chores.
With the aim of strengthening the caregiving economy ecosystem in Colombia, Pro Mujer and USAID developed a comprehensive program focused on addressing the needs of the caregiving sector and involving key actors. The program operates under three strategic pillars:
- Developing capacities to integrate a gender perspective and strengthen companies focused on the caregiving economy.
- Strengthen intersectoral task forces and disseminate their results.
- Strengthen the private sector strategy of “Generando Equidad” through the integration of the care approach.
With the purpose of training companies in the caregiving economy sector in incorporating gender perspectives and strengthening businesses, 34 organizations were selected to participate in the program. The official launch took place in the cities of Buenaventura on April 4, Medellín on April 9, Cartagena on April 11, and Bogotá on April 12. Currently, 26 of these organizations are actively participating in the capacity-building process.
Through Pro Mujer’s entrepreneurial training platform, Emprende Pro Mujer, and training sessions for the incorporation of the gender perspective led by the Gender Knowledge Lab team, the selected companies will be able to develop marketing, operational, and financial strategies, applying innovation and the gender perspective as drivers of change.
Additionally, with the support of the Gender Knowledge Lab of Pro Mujer, training sessions will be conducted for intersectoral committees composed of government entities, and public and private sector representatives to incorporate gender mainstreaming in their decision-making processes. Within the framework of the collaboration, the development of guides and a toolkit with best practices is expected so that the project can be scalable and replicable in other countries.
- “This collaboration with USAID marks a milestone in our commitment to empower women in Colombia. “Together, we are laying the groundwork for a substantial change in the valuation of caregiving work, seeking not only to recognize its importance but also to improve the living conditions of the women who perform these essential tasks”, affirmed Carmen Correa, CEO of Pro Mujer.
About Pro Mujer
Pro Mujer is a non-profit social enterprise that for more than 34 years has been providing services and tools to women in Latin America so that they can reach their full potential, improve their living conditions, and become change agents for their communities.
Operating through a holistic and comprehensive model that seeks to expand women’s access to health services in the region, increase their financial inclusion, and provide training opportunities.
Through a deep understanding of the most pressing needs that women in Latin America face, Pro Mujer designs innovative programs that seek to address issues such as gender-based violence and the digital gender gap. Pro Mujer is a pioneer in the region in promoting and raising awareness about Gender Lens Investing as an effective mechanism to close gaps and boost company productivity.
Pro Mujer’s work is closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and offers tangible results in eight SDGs: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11 and 16.
More information at www.promujer.org.
About the USAID Generando Equidad (Generating Equality) Program
Generando Equidad is a USAID program that works with the public and private sectors and civil society to increase economic empowerment through greater job and entrepreneurship opportunities, market-driven incentives for private sector investment, and reducing gender barriers to economic participation, positively transforming behaviors to reduce gender-based violence (GBV) and improving access and implementation of public policies and support services for civil society. The activity links historically vulnerable groups such as Afro-descendants, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, and the LGBTIQ+ population. Generando Equidad is implemented in the Southwest, Montes de María, and Bajo Cauca regions, as well as in the cities of Bogotá, Cartagena, and Medellín, and has a duration of five years, from May 2021 to April 2026.
