Gender equality, disability and social inclusion analysis in Latin America: Chile 2025

This research provides an up-to-date analysis of the latest data on gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) in Chile, tracking key markers across political, economic, social and educational spheres.

Drawing on a broad range of methodologies including a literature review, data from statistical databases and key informant interviews, this research reveals the impressive progress Chile has made, while highlighting the outstanding gaps to fully realise improved GEDSI outcomes.

Since 2021, Chile has declared itself a feminist government and increasingly positioned itself as an aspiring leader on gender equality. At the same time, Chile has made impressive progress on several socio-economic indicators over the last decade or so. The rate of poverty has decreased from 21.7% in 2011 to 6.5% in 2022, and the country ranks comparatively well on various gender indexes when compared to global outcomes. Chile also registers the second lowest femicide rate in the region, and is better placed on most health and education indicators compared to the rest of Latin American and the Caribbean.

Despite these achievements, progress is not equally distributed, and disparities between certain groups remain. For example, socioeconomic inequalities tend to be based on gender, geography and ethnicity, with poverty being notably higher among the rural population (9.9%), women (6.9%), Indigenous groups (8.8%) and migrants (11.1%). This poses a challenge to achieving GEDSI goals.

One of the key areas in which equality is lagging is in women’s economic autonomy. Indicators including the participation of women in top management positions or women’s labour market participation are lower than regional averages. For example, the latest data from 2025 shows that women’s participation in the labour market stood at 53% compared to 72% for men. This links to the entrenched gender norms around the traditional division of labour in the household, which means that while across OECD countries, 71% of mothers were employed, in Chile this figure stood at 60% in 2021.

This ODI Report provides a wholistic analysis of the national landscape of inequality and inclusion, with specific recommendations for government, development partners and civil-society organisations working on GEDSI issues in Chile. Three country briefs synthesize the evidence on topics of relevance to the Chilean national context: Feminist Foreign Policy, anti-gender backlash and alternative care.

Key messages

• Chile has made impressive progress on several socio-economic indicators over the last decade or so, with the poverty rate decreasing from 21.7% in 2011 to 6.5% in 2022.
• On different gender indexes, Chile ranks comparatively well when compared to regional and other global outcomes, registering the second lowest femicide rate in Latin America and the Caribbean. Chile has also made great strides as an aspiring international leader on gender equality, declaring and implementing a feminist foreign policy since 2023.
• However, progress lags on women’s economic autonomy indicators, with a significant 19 percentage point gap in labour force participate rate between men (72%) and women (53%). Gender norms seem to be a key factor, positioning women in the domestic sphere and limiting their access to top management positions and the labour market.

The thematic country briefs focus on Feminist Foreign Policy, anti-gender backlash and alternative care system. Published in English and Spanish, they cover analysis and recommendations on:

• Chile’s adoption of feminist foreign policy in 2023 and the country’s commitment to democracy, multilateralism and gender equality. Chile’s implementation of FFP has had an impact on the country’s approach to international relations, with early signs showing a positive reception among foreign partners and strengthening alliances with like-minded countries, especially on key topics like gender in trade agreements, care, climate, and human rights.
• Anti-gender backlash in Chile reflects global trends, with conservative political, religious and civil society actors opposing LGBTQI+ rights. A rise in activity is linked to transnational funding networks that mobilise the same divisive discourse to garner political influence and public support. This has intensified hostility and legislative efforts to limit LGBTQI+ rights in Chile.
• Chile’s child protection system has undergone a substantial reform process but still faces structural challenges. Increased reports of violations of children’s rights, such as forms of violence and neglect, has seen the number of children going through family courts continuing to rise.