ABSTRACT
The economic crisis that began in the United States and spread internationally in late 2008 affected financial institutions and economies around the world, leading the global economy to contract 0.6 percent in 2009 (International Monetary Fund [IMF] 2010). The downturn affected the world’s regions simultaneously, resulting in a decline in global gross domestic product (GDP) – a trend not seen since the 1930s – and a generalized decrease in demand. The negative impact of the crisis was highly pronounced in Central American countries and the Dominican Republic.1 These countries are characterized by external vulnerability, poorly diversified productive structures, and major economic and social inequalities among which gender, racial, and ethnic inequalities are
ABSTRACT
KEYWORDS
INTRODUCTION
The economic crisis that began in the United States and spread internationally in late 2008 affected financial institutions and economies around the world, leading the global economy to contract 0.6 percent in 2009 (International Monetary Fund [IMF] 2010). The downturn affected the world’s regions simultaneously, resulting in a decline in global gross domestic product (GDP) – a trend not seen since the 1930s – and a generalized decrease in demand. The negative impact of the crisis was highly pronounced in Central American countries and the Dominican Republic.1 These countries are characterized by external vulnerability, poorly diversified productive structures, and major economic and social inequalities among which gender, racial, and ethnic inequalities are
particularly marked (International Labour Organization [ILO] 2003). At the same time, these countries have less leeway to mitigate the negative impact of the crisis and construct viable alternatives for development in the long term. As has been observed in previous crises, women tend to be one of the
groups hit hardest, resulting in a relative loss of gender equality (Rania Antonopoulos 2009; Stephanie Seguino 2009). Fiscal stimulus policies adopted to address immediate problems and emergency needs could create the conditions for long-term structural changes that could combat inequalities. Incorporating economic and social statistics, research about policy measures, and the literature on the gender impact of economic crises, this contribution analyzes specifically the gender dimension of the economic crisis in Central America and the policy decisionsmade to address it. Considering the economic context, the study shows the evolution of women’s employment and their income, evaluating the potential impact of policies announced or implemented from a social-and gender-equality perspective.
