From Aspiration to Action: Transforming the future for Girls in Central America and the Dominican Republic

Every year in Central America and the Dominican Republic, countless girls are born with boundless potential and aspirations. However, as they grow, many face obstacles that hinder their ability to pursue these dreams. Despite the progress made by governments and communities, significant challenges remain, raising the question of whether girls genuinely have the opportunity to achieve their goals. It’s imperative to acknowledge that, despite the advancements, there is still much work to be done to ensure a future where every girl can thrive in a safe and empowering environment.

The current reality for girls

According to the World Bank’s 2023 Gender Scorecards, girls in Central America and the Dominican Republic face challenges that require urgent action, but there are also signs of progress. With a focus on regional priorities, the data reveals the following:

• Human Capital: In Central American countries and the Dominican Republic, the lower secondary completion rate is typically around 72%. While this is encouraging, the region still trails the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) average by 11 percentage points. For those who get into tertiary education, only one in three graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields—areas linked with better job opportunities—is a woman.
• Teenage pregnancies: The region faces alarmingly high rates of teenage pregnancies, exceeding the LAC average, which is the second highest globally. Countries like Dominican Republic, Panama, and Nicaragua report the largest shares.
• Young women not in education, employment, or training (NEET): Approximately one in three young women in the region is neither in school nor employed, nor receiving any form of training to build skills and generate income.
• Gender-based violence (GBV): GBV continues to disproportionately affect girls, adolescents, and women, impeding their ability to finish school, secure meaningful employment, and achieve their personal and professional goals.
• Labor market vulnerabilities: About 38% of women in the region are in vulnerable jobs, that is, with independent employment or as unpaid family workers, putting them at higher risk of poverty. In countries like Guatemala and Honduras, nearly half of all women work in vulnerable employment.
• Access to entrepreneurship and finance: When they reach adulthood, opportunities for women to be entrepreneurs and access productive assets are limited. For instance, while in LAC half of all businesses have women participation in ownership, this figure is only 38.5% in the region. Additionally, just 39% of women in Central America and the Dominican Republic have access to a financial account, compared to 70% in LAC.
• Unpaid domestic and care work: Women aged above 15 in Central America and the Dominican Republic spend nearly three times as much time on unpaid domestic and caregiving tasks as men, further restricting their economic opportunities.

Source: World Bank’s 2023 Country Gender Scorecards. LAC includes the 42 countries (all income levels) in Latin America and the Caribbean, as classified by The World Bank Group. UMICs refers to the upper middle-income group aggregate which includes economies with a GNI per capita between $4,256 and $13,205.

Unlocking girls' potential

To break down the barriers girls face, a comprehensive evidence-informed approach is needed. At the World Bank, we are committed to helping countries design policies and implement projects that enhance education and skills training for girls and young women, raise aspirations, and challenge harmful stereotypes that restrict their growth. For instance, in Honduras, our work has contributed to the provision of adolescent-friendly health services, while in the Dominican Republic 21,000 girls have gained access to vocational training to improve their economic opportunities, also helping them delay pregnancies.

Increasing female participation in STEM requires targeted interventions throughout their life cycle, from early classroom settings to workplace environments. To foster interest in STEM fields among girls, research shows the importance of providing role models and mentorship, informing them about the labor market returns of STEM careers, and offering financial assistance to pursue these paths.

Regarding labor policy, measures such as shared parental leave, strategies to increase female employment in non-traditional sectors, and expanding childcare services can be transformative. Equally important is addressing the high rates of gender-based violence, which requires a holistic approach. This includes a combination of economic and social empowerment programs, along with interventions that shift social norms and promote gender equity in all areas of life. For example, through our work in the region, we have focused on ending GBV in sectors like healthcare in Nicaragua and disaster risk management in Honduras, ensuring that effective protocols are in place to prevent and respond to cases of GBV.

As we reflect on the challenges and opportunities for girls in Central America and the Dominican Republic, it's clear: the time to act is now. By investing in their human capital, economic empowerment, and safety, we can change their future and strengthen entire communities. It is up to us - multilateral organizations, governments, civil society, private sector and media - to ensure that every girl has the chance to achieve her full potential.

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