The feminine face of housing in Latin America -- Habitat for
Humanity Int'l 1 The feminine face of housing in Latin America
“For me, to have a home of my own is the largest of dreams. But
it is so difficult… God willing, one day it will happen.” —María
Elena, 45, resident of an informal settlement in Costa Rica By
Marta Elena Hernández Barrantes From the time we were young
girls playing “house,” Latin American women have considered a
domestic space a fundamental part of our lives. Culturally, we
are taught that we are of the home, even when we do not own the
house itself. Despite our increased presence and responsibility
in many public arenas, the cultural process of socialization
continues to render women primarily accountable to the home and
the community. Yet access to adequate housing[i] is a difficult
challenge for a large percentage of the approximately 230
million people who suffer from poverty in Latin America,
particularly for women. In every country in Latin America, more
women suffer from poverty t