Report: Gender equality, disability and social inclusion analysis in Latin America: Uruguay 2025

Introduction: Uruguay has shown a strong commitment to gender equality and women’s rights by ratifying several key international agreements, including the Beijing Platform for Action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), alongside regional initiatives, such as the Montevideo Strategy 2030 (MIDES, 2016a). The country has made significant progress through various legal, programmatic, institutional and budgetary measures that aim to promote gender equality. Notably, the National Institute for Women’s Affairs (Instituto Nacional de las Mujeres, INMUJERES), established in 2005, has spearheaded gender equality initiatives, including the National Plan for Equal Opportunities and Rights 2007–2011(Plan Nacional de Igualdad de Oportunidades y Derechos 2007-2011) and the National Strategy for Gender Equality 2020–2023 (Estrategia Nacional de Igualdad de Género 2020-2023). These initiatives have integrated a gender-based perspective into government policies. Legislative advances have also been significant, with the introduction of the Domestic Work Law (Law 18,065, 2006), the Consensual Union Law (Law 18,246, 2008), the Reproductive and Sexual Health Law (Law 18,426, 2008), the Law on Quotas (Law 18,476, 2009) and the Parental Licence Law (Law 19,161, 2013), among others. Furthermore, Uruguay in 2015 established the National Integrated Care System (Sistema Nacional Integrado de Cuidados (SNIC)) and has implemented an Action Plan for a Life Free from Gender-Based Violence 2016–2019 (Plan de Acción para Una Vida Libre de Violencia de Género). The Government also established a gender unit in each ministry to ensure gender mainstreaming across sectors. Yet, despite this notable progress, challenges remain – particularly around issues such as gender-based violence (GBV), women’s representation in politics, and economic independence for women in the workplace. This study provided the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) with updated, high-quality evidence to support its initiatives focused on gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) in Uruguay. After presenting an overview of the latest GEDSI data in the country, the study will delve into three critical areas: • GBV • women in politics, and • women’s workplace participation and economic independence. This research is based on a desk review of academic and grey literature, data from statistical databases and 11 in-depth key informant interviews (KIIs) with stakeholders from the Government, civil society, international organisations and political parties (see Annex 1 for further details)

Año: 2025
Autora: Guadalupe Goyeneche, Isabel Pérez de Sierra and Belén Villegas Plá, Carmen Leon-Himmelstine, Rachel Marcus
Publicado por: ODI Global, CIEDUR

REPORT: GENDER EQUALITY, DISABILITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION ANALYSIS IN LATIN AMERICA: URUGUAY 2025