SANTIAGO — A new study reveals that while Chile has achieved remarkable success in the field of Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), it faces the dual challenges of inadequate women's economic empowerment and deepening socioeconomic inequality. The research report, published on October 6, 2025, clearly demonstrates that despite the Chilean government's declaration of a 'Feminist Government' and a sharp decline in poverty rates over the past decade, structural inequalities still persist.
Economic Progress and Persistent Inequality
Over the past decade, Chile has made notable strides in socioeconomic indicators. The poverty rate significantly dropped from 21.7% in 2011 to 6.5% in 2022. Furthermore, the country is relatively advantaged in several gender equality indices, including registering the second-lowest femicide rate in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Since 2023, by adopting a Feminist Foreign Policy, Chile aims to be an international leader in gender equality.
However, the benefits of this progress have not been equally distributed across all groups. Socioeconomic inequalities based on geography, gender, and ethnicity remain pronounced. A detailed look at the 2022 poverty rate shows significantly higher figures for certain groups compared to the overall 6.5%: rural populations stood at 9.9%, women at 6.9%, Indigenous groups at 8.8%, and migrants at 11.1%. This poses a significant hurdle to Chile's complete achievement of GEDSI goals.
Women's Economic Empowerment: A 19 Percentage Point Barrier
One of the areas where equality realization is most delayed is women's economic empowerment. According to the latest 2025 data, women's labor force participation rate is 53%, showing a considerable gap of 19 percentage points compared to the 72% rate for men. This figure is below the regional average. This gap is directly linked to deeply rooted gender norms regarding traditional division of labor within households. In fact, as of 2021, while the average mother employment rate in OECD countries was 71%, Chile lagged behind at 60%. Consequently, women face limitations in overall labor market accessibility, including participation in top executive positions.
Other Key Issues: Foreign Policy, Anti-Gender Movements, and Child Welfare
The research report addressed three topics relevant to the Chilean social context in separate country summary reports.
Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP): The adoption of the FFP in 2023 signals Chile's commitment to democracy, multilateralism, and gender equality. It has shown initial results in strengthening alliances, receiving positive responses from partner countries in key areas like trade agreements, care, climate, and human rights.
Anti-Gender Backlash: Similar to global trends, Chile has seen movements by conservative political, religious, and civil society actors opposing LGBTQI+ rights. These activities are linked to transnational funding networks and utilize divisive narratives to gain political influence and public support. This has resulted in legislative efforts to restrict LGBTQI+ rights and an increase in hostility.
Child Protection System: Despite undergoing major reforms, Chile's child protection system continues to face structural challenges. The number of children passing through family courts is continuously rising due to an increase in reports of child rights violations, such as violence and neglect.
In conclusion, while Chile has achieved significant social progress, the future core challenges for the complete realization of gender equality and social inclusion are projected to be closing the gender-based economic gap and developing comprehensive support measures for vulnerable groups.
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