Chile Strengthens Its Position on Gender Equality Globally
The 2025 Global Gender Gap Report ranked Chile 22nd globally and 4th in Latin America, maintaining its position from 2024. The report highlights progress in economic participation, education, political empowerment, and health.
Source: Global Gender Gap Report 2025.
Women lead the way in participation in democratic life
Today, they account for 51.2% of the registered voters and achieved a 59% turnout in the last presidential election. That figure is nearly double the levels seen in 1989, when there were 3.9 million registered women.
Source: Servel.
Women's representation in politics is on the rise, though challenges remain
Women hold 35% of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 26% in the Senate. At the local level, the gap persists: only 16.5% of mayoral offices are held by women.
Source: Servel – Chilean Association of Municipalities.
Greater representation in senior government leadership
As of December 2025, 439 women hold regional and divisional leadership or management positions through the Senior Public Management system, accounting for 38% of all senior managers currently serving in the country.
Source: National Civil Service Directorate.
Chile leads the way in women's participation in the mining industry
Women's participation in large-scale mining reached 24% in 2025, with 12,239 female workers employed by companies that account for nearly 95% of the country's copper production.
Source: CCM-Eleva Alliance.
Women are making strides in higher education and STEM fields
Women account for 52.9% of new students entering higher education and make up more than 30% of those enrolled in STEM programs. In addition, they have higher graduation, performance, and retention rates, and constitute nearly 40% of the workforce in research and development (R&D).
Source: 2025 Gender Gap Report.
Women Boosting Exports
In 2024, the number of women-led export companies exceeded 2,500 for the first time, reaching 2,542 and accounting for 29.7% of the total. These companies generated sales of US$23.449 billion, equivalent to 23.2% of total exports.
Source: Research Unit, Undersecretariat for International Economic Relations 2025.
Women Driving the Local Economy
In the area of entrepreneurship, by 2025, 55% of the projects awarded by CORFO will be led by women, a figure that represents significant progress compared to 2022, when that percentage stood at 43%.
Source: CORFO.
More women on boards and in decision-making roles
The implementation of the "More Women on Boards" Act in 2025 reinforces an upward trend: between 2020 and 2023, the number of companies with at least 20% women on their boards rose from 112 to 155.
Source: Fifth Report on Gender Indicators for Companies in Chile.
Public transportation: a regional transformation
Santiago ranks as the city with the highest number of female public transportation drivers in Latin America, with 2,156 female drivers (12.13% of the total), following a 125% increase since 2022.
Source: Government of Chile and the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (DTPM).
Gender equality as the cornerstone of future development
The gender perspective is also an integral part of the country’s new strategic industries. The 2023–2030 Green Hydrogen Action Plan establishes gender equality as a cross-cutting priority for the development of this industry, promoting more inclusive participation from its earliest stages.
Source: Green Hydrogen Action Plan 2023–2030.
