{"id":7852,"date":"2025-07-26T01:09:25","date_gmt":"2025-07-26T01:09:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fundacioncapital.org\/?p=7852"},"modified":"2025-10-29T16:37:37","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T16:37:37","slug":"lo-que-se-necesita-para-que-las-mujeres-en-situacion-de-pobreza-accedan-al-empleo-formal-tres-aprendizajes-clave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fundacioncapital.org\/eng\/lo-que-se-necesita-para-que-las-mujeres-en-situacion-de-pobreza-accedan-al-empleo-formal-tres-aprendizajes-clave\/","title":{"rendered":"What It Takes for Women to Access Formal Employment: Three Key Learnings"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Written by: Tatiana Rinc\u00f3n<\/a>, Head of Gender, Social Protection, and Livelihoods at Fundaci\u00f3n Capital<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Removing deep-rooted and structural barriers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the economic inclusion space, we\u2019ve often focused on supporting women to start and strengthen their small businesses as a pathway out of poverty. However, around the world, most people who have managed to overcome extreme poverty have done so by gaining access to steady, formal jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, women face two stark realities: they are not only the poorest of the poor, but in Latin America, their unemployment rate is often double that of men. Among the many reasons for this disparity is the fact that women face additional barriers both to entering and staying in the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With support from Co-Impact<\/a>, at Fundaci\u00f3n Capital we designed and implemented an innovative Graduation-to-Employment program in three Colombian cities\u2014Cartagena, Santa Marta, and Barranquilla\u2014to connect 300 women, most of them female heads of household, to formal employment. The goal was not only to support them in their job search, but also to remove the deep-rooted and structural barriers that prevent access to dignified, stable jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are three key takeaways from our journey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Overcoming Invisible Barriers Requires More Than a Job Offer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accessing formal employment isn't simply about connecting women to job vacancies. It means addressing the structural, gender, economic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from applying to and staying in those jobs. Many of these barriers are invisible or overlooked: the burden of unpaid care work, the fear and cultural stigma of leaving children in someone else's care, the costs of transportation and clothing to attend interviews, long commutes, and poor connectivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To tackle these challenges, we incorporated targeted cash transfers to ease key pressure points:<\/p>\n\n\n\n