In today’s globalized world, gender equality emerges as one of the largest contemporary issues. The United Nations has prioritized Gender Equality as a sustainable millennium development goal.
Costa Rica, a developing country with a tourism-driven economy and traditionalist society, struggles with a 35% gender inequality rate. On average, Women spend 2.5 more hours a day working without pay than men
In San Isidro and surrounding communities, families and businesses dispose of their trash by burning it, burying it, or taking it to the dumpster in the city. These methods have both environmental and health impacts, and ultimately disregard waste as simply trash rather than as a valuable resource. Fabric is one of the valuable resources that UpTica chooses to upcycle.
Capitalizing on the untapped resource of female labor has the potential to develop the nation. Encouraging other countries to lift substantial numbers of their populations out of poverty through sustainable means, both in the environmental and longevity sense of the word.
Costa Rica still has a 35% gender inequality rate due to women’s lack of access to empowerment opportunities, such as employment and education.