Chile endorses women’s leadership in politics and aims for women to direct 40 per cent of public enterprises by 2018

Chile intends to train 300,000 women for highly skilled jobs and empower women entrepreneurs. It will improve the ability of women to negotiate as workers, including in organizations representing the labour force, with a focus on reducing the wage gap between men and women. A national action plan against violence against women has been implemented, and more centres assist survivors of abuse. Programmes train community leaders and government officials to prevent and halt violence against women. The new Chilean electoral system for the first time has a quota system whereby at least 40 per cent of candidates standing for Parliament must be women. As incentives to comply, any party with less than 40 per cent cannot register candidates, and those meeting the quota receive economic incentives. By 2018, Chile aims to have 40 per cent of public enterprises directed by women. It will support equality, empowerment and solidarity between spouses. Speaking at the Global Leaders' Meeting on 27 September 2015, President Michelle Bachelet said: “For gender equality to be effective, we also have to look at the decision-making area, in social and political spheres.”