By Miguel Székely Former Deputy Minister Ministry of Social Development of Mexico Prepared for the High-Level Consultation on “Promoting the Gender Equality MDG: The Implementation Challenge” Washington DC, February 16, Policy Interventions to Meet the MDG 3 Challenge in Middle-Income Countries

Message: The main challenge is to focus on the underlying mechanisms generating gender differences, not only on the outcomes

If the “rules of the game” and cultural patterns are not modified, policy will be “swimming against the tide”

Contents 1. Identifying the scope for government intervention 2. Changing the “rules of the game” 3. Providing information, incentives and infrastructure 4.Main message

1. The scope for government intervention

Market outcomes: + fewer opportunities, lower incomes, lower investment in human capital (education, health, etc.) “Rules of the game”: + Labor laws, hiring & firing within the government, counterparts for government intervention, operation of programs, no access to services, etc. Cultural patterns (family): + Discrimination, tradition, inertia, religion, etc.. Affirmative action. Explicit goals (MDG). Provide incentives in service provision. Change Laws. Internal hiring policy. Change how programs operate. Access to services. Education programs. Information generation. Incentives within hh’s. Increase productivity

2. “Changing the rules of the game” in policy implementation

Two basic principles i) Social policies BY women (not only FOR women): women as main partners & counterparts in programs ii) Benefits tailored to women’s and girl’s needs

CORRESPONSABILIDADES Benefit Attendance to health clinics by all children in the household Scholarships Cash transfer for food School attendance by all children in the household Shared responsibility 5 million women run Oportunidades

Food 71% Clothing 5% Hygiene 7% Health 2% Education 1% Other 14% Use of cash transfers by women in Oportunidades Taking women as partners and not only as beneficiaries, has huge implications

Tailoring benefits to women’s needs 1. Credit for projects designed by women 2. Nutritional supplements for girls, pregnant women, nursing mothers, etc. 3. Day care centers 4. Training 5. Health services (Oportunidades) 6. Safe environment

3. Modifying cultural patterns

Three mechanisms a) Generation of information b) Provision of incentives within the household c) Increasing productibity in activities performed by women

a)Information on discrimination ( Mexican National Discrimination Survey: “A look in the mirror” )

40% of Mexican men think that women should be confined to “women’s jobs” Almost one out of three think that men should earn more than women when performing the same job 40% Women should only work in “jobs for women” 30.5% Men should earn more than women

21% believe that women have fewer abilities to handle high pressure jobs 21.5% Women have fewer capabilities than men to handle high pressure jobs 23.1% Women are to blame when they are raped, because they attract men … and almost one out of every four believe that women are to blame when they are raped because they attract men

15% 15% do not invest in the education of their daughters, because they will get married and their husband will provide for them Investment in female education is worthless, because they will get married

The visible economic contribution of women in Mexico is of 30% of total GDP (through declared participation in economic activity) Women 30% Men 70% a) Formalize information on women’s real economic contribution:

* Estimations from the National Employment Survey, various years. PIB 17% of GDP The invisible (non-remunerated) contribution is of at least an additional 17% of GDP

b) Incentives Increase in secondary school enrollment 25% general enrollment 33% women 16% men In Oportunidades, scholarships for girls are higher than for boys

c) Increase efficiency in activities normally performed by women * From National Income and Expenditure Survey, 2004 (women 18 and older). Domestic activitiesLabor market participation 14 hours per day Does not participateParticipates in labor market

Household infrastructure and appliances reduce time and effort considerably Weekly hours saved Gas stoveMicro-wave ovenRefrigeratorTotal 3 Potable water

Message: The main challenge is to focus on the underlying mechanisms generating gender differences, not only on the outcomes

If the “rules of the game” and cultural patterns are not modified, policy will be “swimming against the tide”