Gender, Labor Force, and Development in Mexico and the United States

A debate in the academic and research community at a higher level focuses on the androcentric bias that prevails in the training of economics students. This debate is not new. The objective of this chapter was to demonstrate the importance of gender studies in higher education students, considering the analysis of indicators for the interpretation of some characteristics and patterns of development in Mexico and the United States, including data from around the world, during 2000–2021, as an illustrative case. Gender Economics and some ideas from Feminist Economics guided the theoretical discussion. The methodological design was documentary, descriptive, with quantifiable data that allowed a comparative analysis over time. In addition, a consultation was held with higher-level students on gender issues. The sources of consultation were diverse (United Nations Development Program, the World Bank and the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, among others). Some findings suggested that economic studies need to take into account the gender perspective, where contexts, people’s experiences, social customs and beliefs are relevant since they are factors that can hinder the progress of nations or stimulate gender inequalities in development. It’s important to stimulate learning and training processes where respect for human rights will be the priority.