LatinNews Daily - 26 June 2023

* The executive board of the World Bank (WB) has approved a US$700m operation to promote public policies in Mexico aimed at closing gender gaps and facilitating better economic opportunities and social security for women. The WB noted that Mexico had made “substantial progress on gender equality over the years”, but that “remaining gaps limit the country’s economic potential”. The operation focuses on providing access to better jobs, strengthening the social protection of domestic workers, facilitating digital financial inclusion, and improving prevention mechanisms for gender violence. “Improving women’s access to economic opportunities is key to improving their productivity and income, thus reducing inequalities in Mexico,” said Mark Thomas, WB director for Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela. A second pillar of the operation supports reforms that prioritise the expansion of efficient and low-emission modes of transport, aiming to improve the perception and safety of women when using non-motorised and public transport, as well as mitigating the environmental and social impacts of large transport projects. “In the long term, the availability of safer transport will improve women’s mobility and therefore their ability to access economic opportunities,” reads the WB statement.