Occupational and higher education segregation represent another aspect of the gendered division of labor, a key structural component of gender inequality. The limited participation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields is an increasing concern within the gender equality discourse outlined in the Regional Gender Agenda. Given the significance of higher education in STEM during the current digital transition, it is imperative to analyze women's caregiving burden as a barrier to their entry, retention, and advancement in the labor market associated with these fields.

This document presents initiatives aimed at overcoming this challenge within institutions, along with a study on the time and conditions available for caregiving among female students in STEM disciplines at universities and state technical training centers. This study was conducted by the Ministry of Education of Chile, with the support of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), as part of their collaborative project with the Government of Norway, titled 'Enhancing human capacities throughout the life cycle for equality and productivity.'