Gender Equality: An Ongoing Gap in 21st Century Economies – A Comparative Analysis of Mexico and Japan

Abstract

Countries with high economic development are located in the Asia Pacific region, which stand out for their cultural and political diversity, as well as differences in various aspects such as gender. In Mexico, the issue presents serious challenges, since progress in some indicators of the Global Gender Gap Index (2022) is slow. For its part, Japan, a country that continues to relegate women to a secondary social role, indicates that a more developed country is not always synonymous with a better position of equality for women. The research objective is the comparative analysis of the current situation of women in Asia Pacific, particularly in the countries of Japan and Mexico, through a documentary review and the use of ethnography as a technique. The different indicators regarding the measurement of gender equity are compared to determine the relationship between economic development and level of gender equity in the selected countries, confirming that progress in gender equity in a country is unrelated to its level of economic development. In such a way that it remains on the agenda of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, to improve the standard of living of the population, in addition to its economic growth.