Uruguay | Gender in Infrastructure

Legal Framework and Institutional Mechanisms

Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Accession in 1981. Ratification of Optional Protocol in 2001. Main reference document for equality between men and women. Through its ratification or accession to it the States are legally bound to adopt all necessary measures, including special temporary measures and laws, in order for women to fully enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). The signatory countries take responsibility for the implementation of the Platform for Action, in which 12 critical areas of concern for the advancement of women are defined.
Political Constitution (1967). It establishes that all people are equal before the law.
National Women's Institute (2005). It promotes, designs, coordinates, articulates, implements, monitors and evaluates public policies from a gender perspective.

Equal opportunities

Act on Equality of Opportunity and Rights between Men and Women (2007). It establishes that the State is to adopt necessary measures in order to guarantee design, monitoring and evaluation of public policies from a gender perspective.
National Coordinating Council on Gender-Equality Public Policies (2007). It advises the government on all affairs related to gender equality.
First National Plan on Equality of Opportunity and Rights (2007-2011). It generates active employment policies to allow women to access genuine and quality employment. It promotes eliminating gender-based discriminatory practices in job postings, selection processes and personnel promotion.
Act No. 16.045 Occupational Activity (1989). Prohibits all discrimination in the following areas: Postings for assignment of positions; selection criteria; recruitment and hiring; performance evaluation criteria; right to promotion and advancement; work stability; social benefits; suspension and dismissal; professional and technical education or re-training possibilities; training and updating, and remuneration criteria.

Personal and labor conciliation

Act 19.161 (leave).Maternity leave is given for 14 weeks.Paternity leave is given for 10 days. Once maternity leave concludes father or mother may work part-time, receiving subsidy for the other half by the Banco de Previsión Social (social security bank). Subsidy is offered from the time maternity leave concludes and until the baby reaches six months of age.
Social Responsibility for Care
Act No. 19.353 creates the National Comprehensive Care System. Its goal is to promote development of autonomy among people in a situation of dependency, as well as caring for and supporting them through the creation of the National Comprehensive Care System (SNIC), as a set of actions and measures oriented to the design and implementation of public policies to conform model of solidarity and co-responsibility between families, State, community and marketplace.

Violence due to gender

Act 17.514 (2002) on Domestic Violence
Act 18.561 (2009) on Sexual Harassment. Its goal is to prevent and punish sexual harassment in the workplace, and in teacher-student relations.

Legal Framework and Institutional Mechanisms

Equal opportunities

Personal and labor conciliation

Violence due to gender

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