ABSTRACT
Although important progress has been made in the region of Latin America, gender still prevails as one of the major axes of exclusion and inequalities. In relation to social vulnerability, gender disparities may determine the intensity of the risks, the way they are perceived, and the response capacity to cope with stressful events and adverse living conditions. This chapter presents the construction of a synthetic index that articulates variables for the assessment of social vulnerability in Mexican households. Using geo-spatial analysis, this index led to identify spatial patterns of social vulnerability and gender inequalities at the municipal level. According to the gender of the household head and the presence or absence of children, households were classified into eight different types, in order to determine and compare the level of social vulnerability. Results showed that female-headed households with children are the most vulnerable group. The spatial clusters of high social vulnerability and gender inequalities are mainly distributed in the southern region of Mexico, in the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guerrero. These entities are well known for having the highest levels of poverty and unregistered employment in the country, together with an extensive presence of indigenous population.
