Women in STEM in Latin America and the Caribbean

Across Latin America and the Caribbean, women's participation in science and technology varies substantially by country - but the past decade has seen rapid expansion of programs, networks, and policy frameworks across the region.

The regional picture

Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the regions where women's representation in science and technology has expanded most rapidly over the past two decades. Several countries in the region - including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico - have women among 45-55% of researchers, putting them above the OECD average. The labour-market translation lags the enrollment figures, similar to other regions, but the underlying pipeline is strong.

Major national programs by country

• Argentina: CONICET fellowship programs, Chicas en Tecnologia, multiple university-led initiatives
• Brazil: CNPq and CAPES gender programs, Meninas Digitais, Mulheres na Tecnologia
• Chile: ANID Becas Chile, Ninas Pro, one of the most coordinated national approaches in the region
• Colombia: MinCiencias gender programs, Laboratoria Bogota, university initiatives at Los Andes and EAFIT
• Mexico: CONAHCYT scholarships, growing private-sector tech initiatives
• Peru: CONCYTEC programs, Laboratoria Lima
• Uruguay: ANII fellowship programs

Regional networks

• RLMACTI - Latin American Network of Women in Science, Technology and Innovation
• Laboratoria - large regional bootcamp program for women in Latin America, operating in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru
• Cientifica Latina network
• Inter-American Network of Academies of Science Women for Science programme

Funder activity

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank, and the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) gender team all maintain active programs and research on women in STEM in the region. The L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science national programs operate in most countries in the region.