World Bank Income Classification:Low Income
The World Bank classifies economies for analytical purposes into four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income. For this purpose it uses gross national income (GNI) per capita data in U.S. dollars, converted from local currency using the World Bank Atlas method, which is applied to smooth exchange rate fluctuations.
Least Developed Country:Yes
Since 1971, the United Nations has recognized LDCs as a category of States that are deemed highly disadvantaged in their development process, for structural, historical and also geographical reasons. Three criteria are used: per capita income, human assets, and economic vulnerability.
Gender Inequality Index:0.575
GII is a composite metric of gender inequality using three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market. A low GII value indicates low inequality between women and men, and vice-versa.
Gender Development Index:0.723
GDI measures gender inequalities in achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: health, education, and command over economic resources.
Population:209,497,025
Source of population data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision
Male:19,976,265 (9.5%)
Female:189,520,760 (90.5%)
More women have access to decent work and women’s entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized enterprises, networks and cooperatives are strengthened through financial and digital inclusion, green and circular economy alternatives in local and regional value chains
More women have access to decent work and women’s entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized enterprises, networks and cooperatives are strengthened through financial and digital inclusion, green and circular economy alternatives in local and regional value chains
Complementary indicators are identified as those in the results framework that are not repeated verbatim in the results framework of another United Nations entity, but are related or provide different but complementary lenses or insights into the same issue, high-level result and/or area of complementary work, such as a Sustainable Development Goal target.
Complementary
Complementary indicators are identified as those in the results framework that are not repeated verbatim in the results framework of another United Nations entity, but are related or provide different but complementary lenses or insights into the same issue, high-level result and/or area of complementary work, such as a Sustainable Development Goal target.
Complementary
Strengthened capacities of relevant stakeholders and Women in Latin America and the Caribbean to support their income generation and sustainable livelihoods, through financial and digital inclusion and opportunities in the framework of the green and circular economy
In addition to results reported by UN Women field offices (shown here), results achieved in countries and territories through the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UNTF) are included in a non-duplicative manner in the global reporting on this indicator (see the Our Global Results page).
Relevant stakeholders and women in Latin America and the Caribbean have strengthened capacities to support their income generation and sustainable livelihoods, through financial and digital inclusion and opportunities in the framework of the green and circular economy in Countries where UN Women is a Non Resident Agency
In addition to results reported by UN Women field offices (shown here), results achieved in countries and territories through the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UNTF) are included in a non-duplicative manner in the global reporting on this indicator (see the Our Global Results page).
Public institutions, relevant stakeholders and women in Costa Rica have strengthened capacities to support their income generation and sustainable livelihoods, through financial and digital inclusion and opportunities in the framework of the green and circular economy, as well as their access to social protection and care services
In addition to results reported by UN Women field offices (shown here), results achieved in countries and territories through the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UNTF) are included in a non-duplicative manner in the global reporting on this indicator (see the Our Global Results page).
More women have access to decent work and women’s entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized enterprises, networks and cooperatives are strengthened through financial and digital inclusion, green and circular economy alternatives in local and regional value chains
In 2023 UN Women ACRO continued to support the implementation of regional and subregional programs to promote the access to opportunities for income generation and sustainable livelihoods, particularly focusing in financing and digital inclusion, explicitly and systematically integrating an intersectional approach (principle Leave no one behind) that enhances the inclusion of the most disadvantaged groups (rural, indigenous, migrant women) with the capacity to provide differentiated responses. The application of this principle as a central approach to the design and management of programs makes possible to influence changes in structural barriers that limit poverty reduction, equal opportunities, gender equality and economic growth, and to build and strengthen women's capacity to make decisions and act on issues such as the acquisition of financial commitments, assessment of associated risks, control over their money - spending and savings - through personal accounts, investment in education and health care expenses, access to productive credit and insurance that allow them to grow their businesses. In particular, beginning in 2023 UN Women is contributing to the development of an inclusive financial ecosystem (IFE) in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras through the implementation of the IFE programme, funded by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The programme. aims to articulate efforts, to strengthen capacities of financial institutions and public financial sector actors, strategic partnerships with relevant agents of the financial ecosystem (such as Central American Bank for Economic Integration -CABEI-), to advocate for the inclusion of gender equality in public policies and programmes linked to financial inclusion, and many actions that has been promoting the agenda of financial inclusion and the economic autonomy of women in the region. The programme is contributing to increase the availability of knowledge products, tools and methodologies to promote the incorporation of a gender perspective and innovations in financial products and services and in financial inclusion strategies, as well as the generation and use of gender-sensitive data to monitor and evaluate initiatives to promote financial inclusion. The development of knowledge products contributes to highlight women financial inclusion and support the relevance of the region's priorities and serve for policy dialogue. In particular, the launching of the policy brief of women´s financial inclusion was published: “Women’s financial inclusion Keys to a transformative post-COVID-19 economic recovery in Latin America and the Caribbean”, produced the framework of the IFE programme highlighted how women’s levels of financial inclusion in the region were, and continue to be, a vulnerability factor that is hindering their economic autonomy and the post-COVID-19 recovery. This publication reached in 2023 more than 156,000 people in social media. Knowledge products are also being used to guide the design and provision of financial products and services with a gender perspective, as well as the incorporation of gender equality in public policies and programmes. A tool is being developed, which will be used by the IFE programme to guide the strengthening of capacities of financial institutions in the provision of final products and services and will be used as a self-assessment tool. Its piloting started during the fourth quarter 2023 by 11 financial institutions and was reviewed by two regulators. Furthermore, the programme also contributes to foster partnerships between regional and national financial institutions. National and regional partnerships are also being leveraged to advocate for women’s financial inclusion and engagement with the IFE programme, with a focus on the need to work at the ecosystem level to better advance women’s financial health and their economic empowerment. An example of this was the development of the IV Central American Forum of Financial Inclusion, held in El Salvador on the 11th and 12th of October of 2023, organized by jointly by the IFE and the MELYT programmes, in alliance with CABEI and with the collaboration of multiple national and regional organizations was a strategic initiative. The Forum aimed to strengthen partnerships, promote peer-to-peer learning and share best practices on how to reduce gender gaps in access to capital, and increase dialogue and cooperation among financial ecosystem actors engaged with gender equality was. In total, 170 people attended in person on the first day and 110 people on the second day of event. Additionally, over 6.720 people were reached through social media during both days. Thanks to the work through the EFI programme, UN Women achieved to influence national strategies and public policies on financial inclusion, integrating the gender equality perspective. For example, in Guatemala with the technical support of ACRO the new National Financial Inclusion Strategy (ENIF) incorporates a gender perspective and focus on women’s financial inclusion, including sex disaggregated indicators. UN Women national and regional teamS also provided technical support for the revision of the "Roadmap for financial inclusion for women" of the National Council for Financial Inclusion and Education (CNIEF) of El Salvador and has been providing technical support to the National Banking and Insurance Commission (CNBS) in defining a Household Survey Module specifically dedicated to the topic of financial inclusion and other efforts in terms of measurement. In Costa Rica during 2023, the “Hecho por Mujeres” initiative (an e-commerce platform that promotes women's autonomy and economic empowerment), continued to support women’s entrepreneurship and strengthening financial inclusion 319 businesswomen were able to strengthened their capacities through the virtual cycle of 16 trainings and webinars with the objective of promoting their financial and digital inclusion. The platform also operates as a promotional platform for their products, both through social networks (Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) and for in person sales (fairs). As a result, 98 active sellers have made a total of 110 sales through the platform, for a total amount of sales since its launch of approximately US$3,700. Also in Costa Rica, regarding in person sales to strengthen financial inclusion, UN Women supported FIDEIMAS, in coordination with the Banco Nacional de Costa Rica, Sistema Banca para el Desarrollo, IMAS and the Municipality of San José in the organization of the IMAS-FIDEIMAS Christmas Fair. For the second consecutive year after the pandemic, this fair provides an opportunity to have a marketing space for businesswomen and their families, where they can exhibit their handmade products and invite visitors to purchase Christmas gifts with purpose. During December 13, 14 and 15, 2023, 135 businesswomen supported by FIDEIMAS, many of them active sellers in Hecho por Mujeres platform, offered national products in the Central Park of San José, achieving an approximate of US$32,000 in total sales. In terms of promoting digital inclusion, during 2023 UN Women ACRO contributed with the initiative TodasConectadas.com, a collaborative virtual platform that serve as a hub for training courses in digital skill, networking communities to connect with digital markets, and information about economic opportunities, like financial resources or marketplaces. By the end of 2023 a total number of 35.003 visitors were registered, having the opportunity to access 37 virtual courses, to information about 19 communities, and about 8 financial resources for digital inclusion.Disclaimer and notes
References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).