Chilean study links gender gaps to reduced regional economic growth

A study titled ‘Gender gaps in education and labor, human-capital efficiency and inclusive regional growth in Chile’ suggests that reducing gender gaps in education and the labor market could significantly boost regional economic growth. Research conducted by Jesús Juyumaya of Universidad Andrés Bello and Helmut Hans Franken of Universidad Santo Tomás indicates that a 25% reduction in these gaps could increase regional growth by approximately 0.2 to 0.5 percentage points.

The findings highlight that regions with larger gender disparities, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) graduation rates and female labor participation, experience lower levels of economic growth. The study emphasizes that gender equality is a critical dimension of economic capacity rather than solely a social challenge.

In a separate discussion regarding the labor market, experts noted that youth unemployment in Chile (ages 15–24) reached 24.6% in the March-May 2026 quarter, nearly triple the national rate. Discussions centered on the impact of low economic growth, the role of artificial intelligence, and the necessity of critical thinking and metacognition in preparing young people for a changing workforce.