Andina

Peru could improve competitiveness as women gain access to leadership positions

00:00 | Lima, May. 23.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) said Peru could improve its economic competitiveness by promoting qualified women to business, political, and social leadership positions.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, women account for less than 10% of mining workers and less than 15% of direct and indirect workers in the oil and gas industries, IDB representative in Peru Viviana Caro affirmed.

"In Peru, less than 8% of formal mining positions are held by women," the IDB representative said at the launch of Program for Emerging Women Leaders in the Extractive Sector.

In addition, there is a gender occupational segregation, with women being clustered around administrative (49%), operational (30%), and general (4%) posts.

According to studies, if we close this global gap in labor force participation, annual global GDP could increase by 26% by 2025 and Latin America's potential GDP growth would be 34%.

"Evidence shows that women's participation has been the least common productive factor in the region and can be the largest contributor to productivity and sustainability, as well as to profitability and return, especially in the business activity," she concluded.

It must be noted the Program for Emerging Women Leaders in the Extractive Sector is intended to enhance women leadership skills in middle management positions in order to promote greater female citizens' participation in the extractive sector's senior decision-making.

(END) MMG/JJN/RMB/MVB

Publicado: 23/5/2018