A Road Project with Gender Perspective
WHERE CONSTRUCTION AND GENDER MEET
The mega-project on the Circunvalación Highway, known as the Roundabout Intersection at Garantías Sociales, in the Costa Rican capital, not only brought relief to the thousands of drivers who drive through the area, but it also contributed with a well-known aspect of society: gender perspective.
This was a plan called “Gender Perspective Plan”, implemented by Constructora Meco.
One of the first actions taken when the project first started was the training process for all workers involved. They, in alliance with the Costa Rican Institute of Masculinity, Relationships and Sexuality (WEM Institute), received talks on prevention of sexual harassment in public spaces and healthy behaviors in relationships with women.
“During the entire execution of the Garantías Sociales project no complaints of sexual misconduct were reported. Our main goal is for this plan to be a starting point for the company’s associates to improve their lives in all areas: both at work and with their families”
, explained Ana Yancy Arce, Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility and Communication at Constructora Meco.
As part of this effort, 214 hours of training were given, including training men against street harassment and training women on gender equality.
“The project is very broad. It integrates, in addition to respect for colleagues and coworkers’ relationships, gender equality actions such as equal pay, training and a commitment by the company that at least 10% of those who work in the project are women in various positions”, added Arce.
In an environment dominated by male labor such as construction, the achievement of the proposed goals was more than satisfactory. “With the Garantías Sociales project, we begin our commitment to increase opportunities for women in a traditionally male-dominated sector”, concluded Ana Yancy Arce.