The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and The Trust for the Americas Promote the Inclusion of Mexican Women in the Economy

Mexico, 2022.- According to an ENOE report, the economy of the 21st century requires that workers at all levels have social, digital, and technical skills. Lacking these skills, individuals, especially women, are forced to work in the informal economy, reducing their chances of growing professionally and financially. Additionally, there is another factor of inequality: the gender gap. In Mexico, only 40% of women have paid employment, while in the case of men, 74% are part of the labor force.

In order to reduce this gap, The Trust for the Americas, with the support of The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, will work with Jovenes Constructores de la Comunidad (JCC) and Servicios a la Juventud (SERAJ), institutions with more than 15 years of experience, to implement the CIMA Project (Comprehensive Training for Women in Action), which seeks to train young women so that they can enter the hospitality and tourism industry through formal employment opportunities.

During the launch of the CIMA Project, a virtual discussion was held on "The Impact of the Labor Inclusion of Women in Mexico". Fátima Masse, Director of Inclusive Society of the Mexican Institute of Competitiveness (IMCO), highlighted that “Tourism is one of the sectors that has the greatest impact on the Mexican economy, but it was also one of the most hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.” Likewise, she highlighted that “other sectors such as services and commerce were also affected by the pandemic, where many women work. In this case the impact was significant since the majority lost their jobs”.

In this sense, the main objective of the CIMA project is to improve the financial autonomy and general well-being of women in the country, through training in technical, digital, and life skills. Upon graduating from CIMA, the beneficiaries will have the opportunity to join a quality job that allows them to generate their own income. In order to provide comprehensive support to the participants, cross-cutting support services will also be offered, such as personalized mentorship, psycho-emotional support, and stipends for internet connection, transportation, and support for mothers.
 
Carolina Klée, Operations Manager of Jovenes Constructores de la Comunidad (JCC), highlighted that CIMA will be an opportunity for the labor reintegration of women since one of the challenges they face is the lack of formal education: “the women are told ‘you have to have finished school and only if you manage to finish your studies, you can face the world of work, and later you face the talent competition that exists’” she highlighted.

Daniela Dorantes, Director of Servicios a la Juventud (SERAJ), added that within the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), there is a greater turnover of personnel due to the lack of training and the commitment of employers. For this reason, she reinforced the importance of raising awareness among companies to "change the perspective and putting young women at the center of their competitiveness."
 
The panelists agreed that the lack of opportunities is just one of the many labor-related challenges that affect Mexican women. Variables such as the quality of jobs, the salary gap, the excessive workload at home, care related activities, workplace harassment, and violence, are other examples of the barriers that are faced, even after obtaining a job.

For more information visit us at:

Our website: https://www.trustfortheamericas.org/programs/POETA/cima-capacitacion-integral-para-mujeres-en-accion

Facebook: The Trust for the Americas

Twitter: @Trust4Americas

About The Trust for the Americas

The Trust for the Americas is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS). It was established in 1997 to promote public and private sector participation in social and economic development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our initiatives, implemented through local partner organizations, seek to improve access to economic opportunities as well as to foster innovation in vulnerable communities in the hemisphere. To this end, The Trust also promotes social inclusion and good governance. The Trust has offices in Washington, D.C., Colombia, and Canada. 

About The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
International hotelier Conrad N. Hilton established the grantmaking foundation that bears his name in 1944 to help people living in poverty and experiencing disadvantage worldwide. Today, the work continues, concentrating on efforts to ensure healthy early childhood development and sustainable livelihoods for youth, support young people transitioning out of foster care, improve access to housing and support services for people experiencing homelessness, identify solutions to safe water access, and lift the work of Catholic sisters. Additionally, following selection by an independent, international jury, the Foundation annually awards the $2.5 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize to an organization doing extraordinary work to reduce human suffering. The Foundation is one of the world’s largest, with approximately $8.5 billion in assets. It has awarded grants to date totaling more than $2.4 billion, $339 million worldwide in 2021. Please visit www.hiltonfoundation.org for more information.

About Jovenes Constructores de la Comunidad
Jovenes Constructores de la Comunidad, A.C. (JCC) is a civil association created in 2004. Its mission is to promote human development and improve employability and school reintegration options for young people from marginalized communities.
 
About Servicios a la Juventud
Servicios a la Juventud, A.C. (SERAJ) is a civil association specializing in youth with 25 years of experience, which designs and implements comprehensive and innovative models of social action. Its models contribute to the development of young people – primarily those who live in conditions of poverty or exclusion – so that they face the relevant problems of our society.