Women in the informal economy: Evaluation of their role and gender gap. Case of Los Ríos Region Chile

Abstract

This study examined women's participation in the informal labor market in the Los Ríos Region, focusing on relevant aspects that influence this dynamic. It highlights that women's presence in informal work is directly related to gender roles, which are social norms and expectations that assign certain responsibilities and behaviors to individuals based on their gender. In this context, women often assume a disproportionate burden of domestic and caregiving responsibilities. This situation makes it difficult for them to access the formal labor market and limits their training opportunities. The overall objective of this research was to analyze women's participation in the informal economy, seeking to understand the existing gender gap. The study was a quantitative, non-experimental, observational, and cross-sectional study. Data were obtained from the databases of the National Institute of Statistics (INE), the National Socioeconomic Characterization Survey (CASEN, 2022), and the Observatory of the Ministry of Social Development and Family. An Excel spreadsheet was used to process the data, and R software was used to obtain the results. The study highlighted women's participation in the informal labor market, underscoring their challenges and limitations due to traditional gender norms, educational inequalities, and job insecurity.