1. The Role of Women in Latin America:
Professional Women and Women in the Favelas
Presented by Andrew Macias and Elise Olsen

2. Traditional View of Women or the Catholic Church View of Women
The Status of women in the past was dependent on how well they took care of their homes and their families.
The status of girls is dependent of them staying at home and remaining virgins until they get married.
Ideal characteristics included purity and passivity.
These views have changed a little as time has gone on, but the Catholic Church still has a more conservative view of the woman’s role in society.

3. Women in the Favelas
The environment in the Favelas leads to a difficult life for all the people who life in them, but especially women.
Violence
Drugs
Poor Education
Dysfunctional Families

4. Women in Favelas: The Social Aspect
Girls become women when they have their first sexual experience. This is happening at younger ages.
Girls strive to become pregnant
Motherhood and Financial Stability
Women are more likely to cohabit than they are to marry
This trend is not approved by the catholic church.

5. Women in Favelas: The Economic Aspect
Women usually find jobs as maids or laundresses.
Sometimes they are the only members of the family who have jobs.
When these women are the main sources of income there are several problems that can arise.
Childcare and Relationships

6. Professional Urban Women
Government gender equality laws
Political quota systems
Continued struggle for equality has produced some great advances
Legal equality
Business
Leaders of Nations
Role of Protestantism?
Greater roles for women in their church
More autonomy within the family when compared to Catholics
Opportunity for life outside of traditional family

7. Women in Business Liliana Aufiero Grace D. Lieblein President of Lupo
Clothing company
Turned company around
Named one of Brazil’s ten most influential executives in her industry
President of GM Brazil
Is the highest ranking executive in Latin America
Previously ran GM’s operations in Mexico
Ranked 22nd on Fortune’s top 50 international female executives

8. Women in Politics Susana Villaran Ana Olivera
First elected Female Mayor of Lima, Peru
Took office Jan 1, 2011
Won in a narrow victory by less than 1%
Her opposition was also a woman
First female mayor of Montevideo, Uruguay
Is actually a communist
Received over 50% of the vote
Runs a city of over 1.2 million people
Accounts for over half of Uruguay's GDP

9. Questions:
What are some of the similarities and differences between professional women and the women in Favelas?
What are some of the factors that have made life so difficult for women in the Favela?
In your opinion has religion had an effect in shaping the roles of women in and out of the household?