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The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has brought us a serious economic, health and social problem worldwide crisis. In this context, there has been an increase in inequality between men and women throughout the world. In this situation of home confinement, uncertainty, stress and fear, women have been the most affected, regardless of their education level. The purpose of this study is to know the impact on the perception of academic women who suffered from a lack of gender equality (sustainable development) during the pandemic (SDG 5) and, therefore, the increase in the gender inequality gap (SDG 10) in Latin America (LA).

This qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study has a nonexperimental field and cross-sectional design that uses the field technique of focus groups.

This study revealed the deepest feelings of women researchers on this issue, leading to a deep reflection on the need to build the basis to transform unequal gender relations and introduce the gender perspective in a cross-sectional manner in a university context.

This study, analyzed from a gender perspective, aimed to unravel the complexity in which the majority of LA women academics live and to explain the gaps and differences in their lives caused by the inequalities that have increased due to the pandemic in Latin American societies.

La pandemia provocada por el COVID-19 nos ha traído una grave crisis económica, sanitaria y social a nivel mundial. En este contexto, se ha producido un aumento de la desigualdad entre hombres y mujeres en todo el mundo. En esta situación de confinamiento domiciliario, incertidumbre, estrés y miedo, las mujeres han sido las más afectadas, independientemente de su nivel educativo. Los mayores impactos en la percepción fueron la falta de equidad de género (ODS 5) y, por tanto, el aumento de la brecha de desigualdad de género (ODS 10) durante la pandemia en América Latina (AL).

Este estudio cualitativo, exploratorio-descriptivo, tiene un diseño no experimental de campo y transversal que utilizó la técnica de grupos focales.

Este estudio reveló los sentimientos más profundos de las mujeres investigadoras sobre este tema, lo que llevó a una profunda reflexión sobre la necesidad de construir las bases para transformar las relaciones desiguales de género e introducir la perspectiva de género de manera transversal en un contexto universitario.

Este estudio, analizado desde una perspectiva de género, tuvo como objetivo desentrañar la complejidad en la que vive la mayoría de las académicas latinoamericanas, y explicar las brechas y diferencias en sus vidas provocadas por las desigualdades que se han incrementado a causa de la pandemia en las sociedades latinoamericanas.

A pandemia causada pelo COVID-19 nos trouxe uma grave crise econômica, sanitária e social em todo o mundo. Nesse contexto, houve um aumento da desigualdade entre homens e mulheres em todo o mundo. Nesta situação de confinamento domiciliário, incerteza, stress e medo, as mulheres têm sido as mais afetadas, independentemente do seu nível de escolaridade. Os maiores impactos na percepção foram a falta de igualdade de gênero (ODS 5) e, portanto, o aumento da lacuna de desigualdade de gênero (ODS 10) durante a pandemia na América Latina (AL).

Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo, exploratório-descritivo, de campo não experimental e delineamento transversal que utilizou a técnica de grupo focal.

Este estudo revelou os sentimentos mais profundos de mulheres pesquisadoras sobre o tema, o que levou a uma profunda reflexão sobre a necessidade de construir as bases para transformar as relações desiguais de gênero e introduzir a perspectiva de gênero de forma transversal no contexto universitário.

Este estudo, analisado a partir de uma perspectiva de gênero, teve como objetivo desvendar a complexidade em que vive a maioria das acadêmicas latino-americanas e explicar as lacunas e diferenças em suas vidas causadas pelas desigualdades que aumentaram devido à pandemia nas sociedades latino-americanas.

Investigación

The purpose of this paper is to explore inhibitors preventing Spanish women from attaining positions of leadership.

Using a qualitative approach based on focus groups and structured personal interviews on 42 Spanish male and female executives, the study tests the main gender normative expectations applicable to specific work and personal roles.

The findings suggest that there is a significant consensus about the existence of traditional and emerging models. Research also suggests there are still clear gaps between traditional and emerging roles that are easily identified and recognized. Contrary to expectations, the research suggests there is no a clear model of emerging gender roles, and instead considerable diversity in the construction of individual aspirational models.

This is a first exploratory research limited to a reduced sample in the Spanish context. To confirm the findings, the research will benefit from a quantitative approach based on larger samples. Moreover, additional surveys in different cultural contexts will provide a broader understanding of the proposed research questions.

The gender gap framework can enable policy makers to correctly diagnose the barriers women face in their professional lives and to come up with efficient instruments to correct existing inequalities.

The principal contribution of this paper is that it provides important insights into traditional and aspirational gender gaps that constitute one important internal barrier for women’s development.

El objetivo de este artículo es explorar los inhibidores que impiden a la mujer profesional española alcanzar puestos de liderazgo.

El artículo utiliza un enfoque cualitativo, basado en grupos enfocados y entrevistas personales estructuradas a 42 ejecutivos españoles, hombres y mujeres, con el propósito de examinar las principales expectativas normativas de género correspondientes a funciones y comportamientos específicos en el trabajo y en la vida personal.

Los resultados apuntan a un significativo consenso sobre la existencia de modelos tradicionales y emergentes. La investigación asimismo comprueba la clara existencia de brechas de roles de género tradicionales y emergentes que pueden fácilmente reconocerse e identificarse. Contrariamente a lo esperado, los resultados de la investigación indican que no existe un modelo claro de roles de género emergente, sino que existe una considerable diversidad en la construcción de modelos individuales aspiracionales.

El presente artículo es una primera investigación exploratoria limitada a una muestra reducida en el contexto español. Ayudaría a confirmar los resultados, un enfoque cuantitativo basado en muestras más amplias. Por otra parte, encuestas adicionales en otros contextos culturales proporcionaría una mejor y más amplia comprensión de las cuestiones objeto de la investigación.

El marco de brecha de género, que introduce esta investigación, puede ayudar a los responsables políticos, a diagnosticar correctamente algunas de las barreras que enfrenta la mujer en su trayectoria profesional, y poder así elaborar instrumentos eficientes para corregir las desigualdades existentes en la actualidad.

La contribución principal de este artículo es la de proporcionar nuevos conocimientos claves para entender brechas de género tradicionales y aspiracionales que hoy por hoy representan una importante barrera interna para el desarrollo de la mujer

The theoretical context is necessary to understand the process that frames the gender perspective. It must be studied from the pillars of human rights, those that are inherent to the human being and that do not discriminate against age, sex, social status, etc. Being considered Universal, human rights do not contemplate political ideologies, economic systems, or cultural differences; furthermore, as it is irrevocable, it is not possible to delegate or renounce them; human rights are indivisible, that is, they are related and interconnected with each other, but they are formed as a whole. In addition, due to their nature, they are legally enforceable and recognized by the states, therefore, they require respect and compliance.

In developing countries, women microentrepreneurs are characterized as being informal, creating a challenge for the sustainability of their businesses. The purpose of this study is to analyze different businesses that adopt this form of operation arguing that formality is unnecessary because they are legitimate businesses (institutional reason). In addition, the role of gender in business management was incorporated, and the consistency of the results was validated in the context of COVID-19.

This study used data from the National Household Survey of Peru for the development of a compared analysis between the period 2018–2019 (pre-COVID-19), made up of a sample of 14,077 observations, and the period 2020–2021 (COVID-19), with 7,922 observations. The unit of analysis was the informal microenterprise with more than three years of operation, and the data was analyzed using a logistic model.

The probability of adopting informality for institutional reasons is more significant in the case of women in contrast to the men when it is a business belonging to the commerce sector and operating in a dwelling with basic services, while this probability decreases if the firm does not have a fixed location. These results are consistent in pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods.

The purpose of this research was to contribute to closing gaps in the generation of evidence that helps to understand the behavior of informal microentrepreneurs in developing countries, allowing a better approach to this problem for the design and implementation of suitable public policies. All this will contribute to the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

En países en desarrollo, las mujeres microempresarias se caracterizan por ser informales generando un desafío para la sostenibilidad de sus negocios. La presente investigación analizó diferentes negocios que adoptan esta forma de operación con el argumento de que la formalidad no es necesaria porque son negocios legítimos (motivo institucional); además, se incorporó el rol del género en la gestión del negocio, y se validó la consistencia de los resultados en un contexto de COVID-19.

Se utilizaron datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Hogares de Perú para el desarrollo de un análisis comparado entre el período 2018–2019 (pre-COVID-19), compuesto por una muestra de 14.077 observaciones, y el período 2020–2021 (COVID-19), con 7.922 observaciones. La unidad de análisis es la microempresa informal con más de tres años de operación y los datos son analizados mediante un modelo logístico.

Resulta mayor la probabilidad de adoptar la informalidad por motivos institucionales en el caso de las propietarias en contraste con los propietarios, cuando se trata de un negocio perteneciente al sector comercio y que funciona en una vivienda con servicios básicos, mientras que disminuye esta probabilidad si el negocio no posee un local fijo. Estos resultados son consistentes en tiempos de pre-COVID-19 y COVID-19.

La investigación tiene por fin contribuir al cierre de brechas en la generación de evidencia que ayude a comprender el comportamiento de las mujeres microempresarias informales en países en desarrollo, permitiendo una mayor aproximación a esta problemática para el diseño e implementación de políticas públicas adecuadas. Todo esto contribuirá con los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible.

Nos países em desenvolvimento, as mulheres microempreendedoras caracterizam-se por serem informais, criando um desafio para a sustentabilidade dos seus negócios. A presente investigação analisou diferentes negócios que adotam essa forma de operação com o argumento de que a formalidade não é necessária por serem negócios legítimos (razão institucional); além disso, foi incorporado o papel do gênero na gestão empresarial e se validou a consistência dos resultados num contexto de COVID-19.

Se utilizaram dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Domicílios do Peru para desenvolver uma análise comparativa entre o período 2018–2019 (pré-COVID-19), composto por uma amostra de 14.077 observações, e o período 2020–2021 (COVID-19), com 7.922 observações. A unidade de análise é a microempresa informal com mais de três anos de operação e os dados são analisados através de um modelo logístico.

Resulta maior a probabilidade de adoção da informalidade por motivos institucionais no caso das proprietárias em contraste com os proprietários, quando se trata de um negócio pertencente ao setor do comércio e que funciona numa casa com serviços básicos, enquanto esta probabilidade diminui se o negócio não tem local fixo. Estes resultados são consistentes em tempos pré-COVID-19 e COVID-19.

A pesquisa tem como objetivo contribuir no fechamento de brechas na geração de evidências que ajude a compreender o comportamento dos microempreendedores informais nos países em desenvolvimento, permitindo uma melhor abordagem desta problemática para o desenho e implementação de políticas públicas adequadas. Tudo isto contribuirá para o cumprimento dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável.

This chapter starts with two initial questions: Why, despite the fact that most large companies and organizations have protocols and instances for handling complaints to address gender violence, on many occasions, asymmetric relationships persist and no structural changes are observed in most of them? Can the culture of the environment determine resistance to change within organizations, or are the new processes part of an isomorphic organizational response to environmental pressures? To answer these questions, macroeconomic indicators of development and the gender gap are shown, to later explore the relationship between the construction of gender as a product where multiple variables converge and the gap that exists between women and men in organizations. Regardless of the economic wealth of a country, the incorporation of gender protocols does not always yield positive results. From a neo-institutional theoretical perspective and gender studies, the existence of a structural pressure to align subjects in dichotomous categories is proposed. Added to the visible asymmetries are the invisible costs for women and men: violence, invisibility, and underrepresentation. It is proposed to recognize the cultural conditions and the different degrees of organizational porosity to promote an intervention on three levels: from the subject in the organization; in the organizational field, structure, positions, processes, and products, and through a political praxis.

Despite the great technological, economic, and social advances and the significant progress achieved by women from the last century until today, there is still a clear division between men and women in the labor market: more women are working, but their salaries are lower, as are their positions and their possibility of full development is reduced.

The gender problem is global, which forces the business sector, as one of the main agents of the market, to build policies around gender equality and the recognition of women as agents who generate growth and economic and business development. In this sense, business projects that seek to reduce gender gaps also impact the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), because they increase opportunities for equity, freedom, and dignity, for men and women in equal conditions.

What are the challenges and opportunities in gender equity presented by economic analyses in Colombia in a Latin American context?

According to the question, a Latin American economic context of gender gaps is presented, from the perspective of socioeconomic inequality and poverty, sexual division of labor, patriarchal cultural patterns, and concentration of power. Similarly, the effects of the pandemic on women’s employment and income are reviewed. When talking about gender gaps and professional contribution to the economy, it is not only a solution to inequalities, it is analytically undoing this cultural conception to give it a new structure of dominance.

There is a lack of conversation about economics and gender because the analysis is found from a macroeconomic perspective when writing that regardless of who performs care work or domestic work can also question the assumptions of economic science that, by convention, in national accounts, it ignores the value of domestic work and almost always deals with scarcity, selfishness, and competition, and rarely of abundance, altruism, and cooperation.

It must be recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic gave importance to childcare for national economies in general and women’s economic participation in particular, which has stimulated a renewed interest in childcare policy in many countries that have implemented lockdowns, as well as women, who provided most of the unpaid care, not only did they lose income due to demands for care but also they struggled to access needs, with some reporting increased personal insecurity.

The economic crises of the last century reflected recessions that had a greater impact on the employment of men since they are usually employed in sectors where employment tends to be unstable or as the economy is called cyclical employment. However, in the crisis unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic, given their particular conditions, it is women who are mainly affected.

Challenges and opportunities in terms of gender equity present economic analyses in Colombia in a Latin American context, in this context, it is reviewed: the national survey of time use and its findings; the incorporation of the care economy in the measurement of economic growth and poverty indicators by gender and its effects on improvements in the quality of life of the population and its impact on the economy.

Among the advantages of incorporating the gender perspective in the economic analysis, the following perspectives are analyzed:

• The similarities of the experiences of the gender gap and its effect on the economy suggest that the response of public policies of recovery and preparedness with the corresponding recognition, women absorb the costs of care work, with possible long-term negative effects on health, and well-being.

• A greater stimulus to growth, as women bring new skills to work, productivity, and growth gains from greater female participation in the labor force. And, greater productivity and reducing gender barriers.

The similarities of the experiences of the gender gap and its effect on the economy suggest that the response of public policies of recovery and preparedness with the corresponding recognition, women absorb the costs of care work, with possible long-term negative effects on health, and well-being.

A greater stimulus to growth, as women bring new skills to work, productivity, and growth gains from greater female participation in the labor force. And, greater productivity and reducing gender barriers.

This chapter aims to advance the dialogues between academia and economics on gender gaps in organizations, identifying the progress that has been made in this area in Latin America and the challenges that remain,in accordance with the provisions of the Sustainable Development Agenda. The importance of the academy and its role as facilitator is recognized, so that it is there where policies aimed at reducing gender gaps in organizations can be promoted and advanced, and the opportunity that exists in the academy to contribute to gender equity. Emphasis is made on the contributions made by different Colombian universities, which have included gender equity and the linkage of the UNESCO Chair in favor of equal rights, duties, responsibilities, and opportunities. Finally, the challenges that still exist are recognized and must become a commitment on the part of the organizations, if gender equity in the organizations is really to be achieved.

This chapter reports on the difficulties and challenges faced by a woman in Mexico to generate an enterprise whose objective is education. This is achieved by taking up the story of Sharon Zaga and Mili Cohen, two Jewish women who set themselves the goal of founding a museum that would speak of the relevance of historical memory, but also of the importance of tolerance. The emergence of COVID-19 presented them with a new challenge: the museum had to remain closed for more than a year. We will explore the strategies that allowed them to keep their organization afloat, a circumstance that can be taken up by more Latin American women who intend to undertake also on their own.

Motivations and access to resources for venturing differ between men and women. In developing countries, there has been an increase in businesses that do not have a specific location and persist in informality. This research aimed to evaluate, from a gender perspective, the moderating effect of the decision not to have a place in the relationship between human capital (education, experience and type of entrepreneurship) and business informality.

Using the National Household Survey 2014–2018, a sample of 50,313 Peruvian entrepreneurs was obtained − 23,314 women and 27,002 men – who have been in business for over three years. The data were analysed with logistic regression.

The results showed a moderating effect of entrepreneurship without a settled location on the relationship between education and informality in the case of women. And, for men, the moderating impact falls on the education, experience and reason for venturing that influences the formality of their businesses.

The problem of business informality of established companies with more than 42 months of operation is analysed. The moderating effect of the decision not to have a specific location on the relationship between human capital and informality is explored. This work extends business informality studies in Latin America developing countries, incorporating a gender perspective.

Las motivaciones y el acceso a recursos para emprender son diferentes entre hombres y mujeres. En países en desarrollo, se han incrementado los negocios que no disponen de un local específico y persisten en la informalidad. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar, desde una perspectiva de género, el efecto moderador de la decisión de no disponer de un lugar específico en la relación existente entre el capital humano (educación, experiencia y tipo de emprendimiento) y la informalidad empresarial.

Se utilizó la Encuesta Nacional de Hogares 2014–2018, donde se obtuvo una muestra de 50.316 microempresas peruanas −23.314 lideradas por mujeres y 27.002 lideradas por hombres— con más de tres años de operación. Los datos fueron analizados con la técnica de regresión logística.

Los resultados mostraron un efecto moderador de los negocios sin local específico sobre la relación entre la educación y la informalidad en el caso de las mujeres. Y, para los hombres, el efecto moderador recayó sobre la educación, experiencia y el tipo de emprendimiento que influye sobre la formalidad de sus negocios.

Se analiza la problemática de la informalidad en las empresas establecidas con más de 42 meses de operación. Se explora el efecto moderador en la decisión de no tener un local específico en la relación entre capital humano e informalidad. Este estudio amplía los estudios de informalidad empresarial en países en desarrollo de América Latina, incorporando una perspectiva de género.

The aims of this study are to identify and analyse prevalent gender roles and the persistence of sexist stereotypes among teachers in training in Spain, to determine the reasons for them and suggest solutions for eradicating sexist prejudices.

A gender role questionnaire was administered to 1260 workers from 54 different professions who were enrolled on a postgraduate training course to qualify as secondary education teachers. The instrument contained six variables for both quantitative and qualitative analysis: professional work, family (looking after children), feelings and emotions, household chores, body image and free time.

Household chores, looking after children and gender roles linked to body image were those most indicated by both men and women. It is concluded that men participate little in bringing up children and household chores and that women continue to shoulder the responsibility. Both are concerned about their body image, but women have little self-acceptance of and satisfaction with their bodies and a stronger sense of being judged by how they look. Gender stereotypes persist, despite extensive legislation in Spain since 2004.

The study has limitations deriving from its choice of convenience sampling. Although it includes participants from six Spanish autonomous communities, the number from each region is not very high. Nevertheless, the sample is representative of almost all branches of knowledge (54 professions). Another limitation concerns the images used in the research instrument as a data collection strategy insofar, as they could not be obtained from a data bank specific to the research subject but instead had to be found in databases of general images. It can be inferred that a data collection strategy without any danger of bias would be to encourage each participant to design their own images, reflecting their perceptions and auto-perceptions of gender roles and stereotypes. The fact that there were no pre-existing studies using this type of research instrument in education sciences was a handicap for the investigation. Despite these methodological limitations, the results of the study may serve as a basis for implementing specific future actions originating from any area – but especially from the area of education – aimed at teaching people about equal roles in order to eliminate sexist sterotypes. This research was carried out as part of the Proyecto Diseño y Atención a las Oportunidades de Género en la Educación Superior (Project on Design and Gender Equality of Opportunities in Higher Education) funded by the Vicerrectorado de Cooperación al Desarrollo (Office for University Cooperation for Development) at the University of Alicante (Spain).

Spanish legislation has not been able to promote significant changes in the performance of traditional gender roles or to eliminate sexist stereotypes that perpetuate imbalances between men and women. The ideal and prevalent model of a Spanish woman is still that of a “self-sacrificing mother”, responsible for the household chores and childcare. She must combine this first job with a second profession, and, in addition, she must have a “desirable physical image”. The study puts forward various possible solutions for reducing and/or eradicating sexist attitudes with the participation of different social agents and in particular through education. The investigation could be of use when carrying out specific cross-sectional interventions on the subject of gender equality with students on postgraduate teacher training courses, for the purposes of encouraging the elimination of stereotypes and strengthening the capacity for critical judgement, positive self-concept and self-esteem.

The study may be useful for carrying out specific and transversal university training interventions in postgraduate teacher training on gender equality aimed at promoting the elimination of stereotypes, the strengthening of critical judgement capacity, positive self-concept and self-esteem.