Video Q&A: Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla

On September 26, Costa Rica's President Laura Chinchilla participated in a private event as part of AS/COA's 2013 Presidents of the Americas Series. During the discussion, she spoke with AS/COA President and CEO Susan Segal about education and innovation in Costa Rica, her eight months left in the presidency, and the advancement of women's rights in Latin America.

Costa Rica ranked number one in women's rights in Americas Quarterly's 2013 Social Inclusion Index. According to Chinchilla—the first woman to be elected president in her country—Costa Rica's legislature has almost 50 percent of its seats occupied by women. "I believe in quotas, but they have to be seen as a transitional instrument, because otherwise is very hard to change attitudes," explained the president.

Although the president celebrates progress in terms of women's political participation in Latin America, Chinchilla believes there is much countries must do to make progress in the private sector. The president explains that when women work for corporations, they can have problems getting hired, be victims of underemployment, and have difficulty advancing to higher positions.

Video: Luisa Leme
Music: Entre Cuerdas, by Edmar Castañeda.
Photo Credits: Roey Yohai, Barnaby Wasson, Ingmar Zahorsky, Presidencia de la Republica de Costa Rica, UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe, World Economic  Forum, La Mancloa Governo de España, AP.