In Latin America, when violence rises, women’s economic opportunities fall Jacobus de HoopAna Maria Tribin UribeAndrea Velásquez March 05, 2026 This page in: English Español © 2026 The World Bank Group,

In Latin America, when violence rises, women’s economic opportunities fall Jacobus de HoopAna Maria Tribin UribeAndrea Velásquez March 05, 2026 This page in: English Español Imagine deciding whether to work, study, or commute not based on opportunity, but on fear. Across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), high levels of crime and insecurity shape everyday economic decisions in ways that rarely show up in headline labor statistics. While violent crime affects both women and men, its economic consequences vary. Women experience violence differently, and those differences translate into unequal access to work, income, and economic autonomy. A growing body of evidence shows that violent crime acts as a structural barrier to women’s labor market participation. https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/developmenttalk/in-latin-america--when-violence-rises--women-s-economic-opportun © 2026 The World Bank Group,