Linking Gender Equality (Goal 5) with Decent Work and Economic Growth opportunities (Goal 8) through the Development of Infrastructure (Goal 9) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) : Pilot Experiences in Bolivia, Paraguay and Nicaragua

Achieving gender equality, a pillar for development in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), remains a great challenge in the region. Mainstreaming gender across all sectors of the economy is essential to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth. In the transport sector, which includes infrastructure and related services, gender equality has been addressed from two angles: women as users of transport systems and women as part of the sector’s labor force. This document studies gender equality from the second angle by analyzing female representation and participation along the transport sector value chain. It presents three pilots in which women were trained in the operation of heavy machinery, a means of increasing opportunities for higher salaried positions, and the lessons drawn from these experiences. The pilots, which are linked to road rehabilitation projects in three countries, illustrate potential synergies between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of Gender Equality, Decent Work and Infrastructure.