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Gender and Diversity
Gender and Diversity

Empowering women and diverse groups to reach an inclusive development in Latin America and the Caribbean

Grupo de mujeres tejiendo atuendos autóctonos. Género y diversidad - Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo - BID
Gender and Diversity Action Plan Initiatives Gender and Diversity Sector Framework
Dos jóvenes sentados sonriendo. Inclusión y desarrollo social - Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo - BID
OUR VISION

We have the mission to promote gender equality, the development with identity of indigenous peoples, and the inclusion of people with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and the LGTBQ + population, while harnessing the talent and capacities that reside in these population groups to promote the socio-economic growth of the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

We achieve this goal through direct and indirect investments, technical assistance, analytical work, and training. 

Long-standing structural factors

Promoting women and diverse groups' economic empowerment, autonomy, and access to quality services.

Discrimination and unequal treatment

Fostering bias prevention programs and tools, as well as interventions that counter stereotypes.

Institutional capacity

Supporting governments in mainstreaming processes, resource mobilization and similar key actions.

Women are more educated but earn less

To this day, women earn 23% less than men. This gap is not getting smaller: it has grown 4 points since the early 2000s, even when the educational gender gap has closed or reversed.   

Find out how we support gender equity here.

Una mujer con equipo de protección industrial sonriendo. Industria y diversidad laboral - Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo - BID
Afro-descendants have higher rates of unemployment

In 4 out of 5 countries where data by race is available, the Afro-descendant employment rate is lower than it is for their white peers. This gap is wider for Afro-descendant women.  

Learn how we promote the inclusion of Afro-descendants. 

 

A woman holding a tablet. Inclusion - Inter-American Development Bank - IDB
Indigenous peoples face greater educational gaps

In some countries, indigenous students have 20 points less completion rate of secondary school than non-indigenous students, with girls facing greater gaps. 

Learn how we support the development with identity of indigenous peoples. 

Niño en el colegio escribiendo en su cuaderno. Desarrollo social e inclusión - Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo - BID
People with disabilities lack inclusion in the labor market

Persons with a disability participate 4,1% less in the formal sector and earn 16% less than people without a disability. This gap is greater for men.   

Learn how we promote the inclusion of people with disabilities. 

Una persona en silla de ruedas de espaldas mirando unas escaleras. Equidad e inclusión - Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo - BID
LGBTQ+ discrimination remains high

72% of LGBTQ+ homicides were motivated by bias based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In 2022, 68% of the homicides against gender-diverse people occurred in our region. 

  

Learn how we support the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people. 

Una mujer sonriendo de pie en un espacio exterior. Equidad de género - Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo - BID
Uruguay to Prevent Homicides and Gender-Based Violence More Effectively
The executive board of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved an $8 million loan to Uruguay to implement the Comprehensive Citizen Security Program II. The program is designed to strengthen the country’s capacity to prevent homicides and gender-based violence in areas where these crimes...
October 30, 2023
IDB Approves $500 Million to Support Women and Diverse Populations in Colombia
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $500 million loan to strengthen equality and equity policies aimed at women and diverse populations in Colombia. This is the first IDB loan to Colombia that includes policies aimed at equality for women and the LGBTIQ+ population and that...
October 24, 2023
IDB-UN Women Report: Despite Progress, Challenges Remain to Offer Financing Programs for Women and their Businesses 
CARTAGENA, Colombia – While public development banks (PDBs) today provide a variety of programs to improve credit access for women, investments that go beyond financial capital are needed to address the unique needs of women and their businesses and drive a more inclusive financial sector, according...
September 06, 2023
Pride in being who we are: More Inclusive Societies for LGBTQ+ People
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How can we promote women's digital skills?
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Partners in equity: how public and private efforts can advance the gender and diversity agenda
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A group of people putting their hands together. Development - Inter-American Development Bank - IDB Gender and Diversity Action Plan Implementation Report 2022

This document reports on the 2022 annual progress of the Inter-American Development Bank Group first Gender and Diversity Action Plan 2022-2025 (GDAP). The analysis and results here presented should therefore be considered in the context of the four-year implementation period

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The action plans and reports from previous periods are available here:

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