NICARAGUA

Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Introduction

The Republic of Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America, with a high population growth rate, young population, and low population density. The majority of the population is mestizo or indigenous, Hispanic is the dominant culture, and Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion. Gender roles are shaped by traditional Hispanic values and the concepts of machismo and marianismo, although women have made business and political advancements, including the election of a female president in the 1990s. Nicaragua ranked 49th out of 134 countries in the World Economic Forum's 2009 Global Gender Gap Report (Bayard, 2001).

Nicaragua, a country of 50,377 square miles, is bordered by Honduras to the north, Costa Rica to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. It was discovered and conquered by Christopher Columbus in 1502. It gained independence in 1838, but Nicaragua inherited a legacy of colonialism, hence creating inequalities based on class, gender, and race. Throughout history, Nicaragua has experienced several uprisings and lengthy civil wars, the most recent form 1961-90 known as the Revolución Sandinista.

The predominant Roman Catholic culture places a strong emphasis on church marriages, although there are also numerous common law marriages. The average age of marriage is in the early 20s. The 2009 fertility rate was 2.8 births per woman. Skilled healthcare practitioners attend 67 percent of births. The 2009 infant mortality rate was 29 per 1,000 live births, and the maternal mortality rate was 170 per 100,000 live births. The state social security system provides women with 12 weeks of paid maternity leave at 60 percent of their wages. About 72 percent of married women use contraceptives. Large families are common and highly valued, with women usually bearing most of the responsibility for childcare and rearing. Many couples live with their parents due to poverty and an affordable housing shortage (Brentlinger, 1995).

Issues Facing Disadvantaged Groups

The 1980s struggles that brought the Sandinistas to power also brought attention to issues facing traditionally disadvantaged groups such as women and the poor. Public education is free and compulsory from age 7 to 12 but lacks adequate funding, and many children do not attend due to agricultural needs. Female school attendance rates stand at 96 percent at the primary level, 49 percent at the secondary level, and 19 percent at the tertiary level. Literacy rates are almost equal, at 81 percent for women and 79 percent for men. Access to healthcare is improving. Other problems include political instability, poverty, unemployment, inadequate water and sewage systems, and disease. Life expectancy is age 63 for women and age 60 for men.

Nicaraguan women have entered the workforce in significant numbers since the 1980s, many due to high poverty rates. Currently, 40 percent of women participate in the workforce. Women make up 43 percent of the paid nonagricultural workforce and 52 percent of professional and technical workers. Key employment includes seasonal migrant agriculture, manufacturing, industry, and education. Some women supplement family incomes through laundry or street food ...