Contributions of the Critical Legal Feminist Theory in the Analysis of the Situation of Women in Labour Market Policies during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Latin America

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed different challenges to human kind in political, economic and social fields. One topic that should be addressed is the situation of women in labor market policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America. According to the International Labour Organization, the employment of women in the Americas decreased between 2019 and 2020 by 9.4 percent due to the effects of COVID-19- compared to 7.0 percent in the case of men- which represented the highest globally decline in all regions. This data has to be taken into consideration by public, private and social sectors to find optimal solutions to face this situation. Furthermore, a critical analysis should be made in order to identify the issues that have caused the problem and that may represent future risks. In this regard, the Critical Legal Feminist Theory may offer an interesting perspective of how the ideology, authorities and law should be reconsidered to explore new horizons for women in the society. Certainly, an inclusive dialogue is of core importance to understand how women are experiencing the labor market situation and policies, include their opinions and suggestions in labor law aimed at reinforcing women’s human rights, including the rights to health and work, as well as to include additional indicators to evaluate the results of labor policies.