La desigualdad de oportunidades y su incidencia en la desocupación laboral de las mujeres en el casco central del cantón Santa Rosa, año 2025

Abstract

This research addresses as a central theme the inequality of opportunities and its incidence in the unemployment of women in the central area of Santa Rosa canton, year 2025. This problem has become an important catalyst in the Ecuadorian context, especially in the province of El Oro, where gender gaps in the labor market are evident. Despite the many advances that have been made as a society, women continue to face barriers that limit their equal participation in the labor market, these differences not only violate their rights, but also affect the economic and social development of the environment, resulting in cycles of poverty, economic dependence and social exclusion. This problem lies in the fact that women in Santa Rosa canton face several limitations in accessing formal jobs compared to men, these inequalities are due to structural factors such as gender discrimination, limited knowledge of inclusive public policies and unequal distribution of family responsibilities and limitations in terms of access to education and professional training. The general objective of the research was to identify inequality of opportunities and its influence on women's unemployment in Santa Rosa canton. In order to fulfill this purpose, specific objectives were established, which mention that the analysis focused on demonstrating how gender discrimination conditions the employment opportunities of women in Santa Rosa. Likewise, the decisive role played by inclusive public policies and the persistent inequality in the distribution of family roles were explained. At the same time, it was explored how educational level and professional training represent a determining factor in accessing better employment opportunities. In terms of methodology, a mixed approach was chosen, combining the use of qualitative and quantitative methods. This allowed us to obtain a complete vision of the problem, since the combination of statistical data and social perceptions favored a clearer analysis and interpretation of the results, applying a survey to 384 women of working age in the central area of the canton, calculating an infinite sample and complementing it by conducting interviews with authorities, which allowed us to validate the information and ensure the reliability of the findings obtained. Among the most relevant results, it was possible to identify that women dedicate most of their time to unpaid household chores, which does not allow to have access to formal and full-time employment. In addition, it was found that women face multiple barriers when accessing formal and stable employment, one of the main reasons being gender discrimination when hiring or promotion processes take place. It was also determined that the level of education and professional training have a great influence on job opportunities, but despite this, inequalities continue to exist even when women have similar levels of education to men. In reference to inclusive public policies, it was observed that although there are norms and plans aimed at guaranteeing equal rights and opportunities, their implementation is not adequate and they are not effectively applied in the labor market; most of the women indicated that they did not have the necessary support or that they did not have the necessary knowledge on this subject. In relation to this, the proposal was born to design strategies for dissemination and community articulation to strengthen the viability and access of women to inclusive public employment policies in the canton of Santa Rosa.