On the eve of International Women's Day, Colombia highlights advances in female leadership and the care economy, which accounts for nearly 20% of GDP and is mostly shouldered by women. While laws like 1413 of 2010 have made unpaid work visible, challenges remain such as the wage gap and unequal domestic burden. The country ranks fourth globally in women in high-level positions, at 43.4%.
International Women's Day, marked on March 8, spotlights women's economic contributions in Colombia. According to Dane data, the country has 27.2 million women, half of its 53 million population. The care economy, encompassing unpaid domestic work such as cooking, cleaning, and caring for children or the elderly, equals nearly 20% of GDP and is predominantly carried out by women, who devote double the time men do to these tasks, and up to 10 times more to direct personal care, per the National Planning Department.
Law 1413 of 2010 incorporated this economy into the National Accounts System to highlight its significance, but regulation has been limited, lacking measures like reducing women's retirement weeks or specific subsidies. Over 3 million women are unpaid caregivers, a figure that doubles outside capitals, restricting their access to paid employment, education, and economic autonomy. 35% of unoccupied women do not seek work due to family responsibilities.
In leadership, a 2026 Grant Thornton study ranks Colombia fourth worldwide with 43.4% women in high-level positions, exceeding the global average of 32.9% and with no sample companies having all-male executive teams. Key factors include growing access to higher education, where women outnumber men in enrollments and graduations, and diversity policies in firms. Female participation on boards reached 25.6% in 2025.
"Law 1413 of 2010 was an advance in recognizing the care economy's contribution," said Laura Moisá, co-director of the Central Bank. Marcela Meléndez, director of Fedesarrollo, stressed: "We are half the population. When we do not participate in the labor market, the country loses capacity and talent." In 2025, 7.8 million women were employed, a 33% rise over five years, though many as self-employed (3.7 million) or in paid domestic work (651,000).
Despite normative progress like Law 1496 of 2011 for equal pay, a gap persists where women with university degrees earn $0.82 for every $1 men earn. Experts call for cultural changes to balance roles and strengthen a National Care System.
