This study examines Colombias health spending from 2016 to 2020, focusing on areas for improving spending efficiency. The findings reveal that while Colombia's public health expenditure as a share of GDP aligns with the average of 42 comparator countries, its public spending as a share of total health expenditure is higher. Efficiency indicators suggest Colombia lags behind OECD countries in health outcomes per dollar spent, with potential to increase life expectancy by up to four years if spending efficiency matched the most effective systems.

Latin America has achieved considerable progress in expanding access to education, yet significant gender disparities persist in educational outcomes. These gaps are evident in enrollment, completion rates, and performance across key subjects such as mathematics, language, and science. This study explores the multifaceted drivers of these disparities, including societal norms, family expectations, and economic conditions that differentially impact boys and girls.

Self-awareness, the ability to monitor internal states and understand interactions with others, is a key socioemotional skill. It encompasses internal clarity and external understanding of how others perceive us. Linked to well-being, empathy, and self-regulation, self-awareness can be developed through reflective practices, feedback, and personalized learning. In this brief, we explore its significance, successful initiatives to cultivate self-awareness, and tools available to measure it.

Purposefulness, the ability to find and pursue meaningful goals beyond oneself, is essential for fostering motivation, well-being, and societal impact. It is associated with personal fulfillment, academic success, and contributing to broader societal challenges. Purposefulness can be cultivated through reflective practices, meaningful activities, and goal-setting interventions. In this brief, we explore its significance, successful initiatives to cultivate purposefulness, and tools available to measure it.

Inclusive value chains is one of the eight dimensions of the Guide to promote gender equality in Latin American and Caribbean companies. This guide aims to provide direction to the business sector in designing and implementing measures that promote equal opportunities for men and women in workplace environments. It includes evidence, supporting tools, and both regional and international case studies. Additionally, it offers clear roadmaps with flexible recommendations adaptable to diverse business contexts and needs.

Inclusive product and service design is one of the eight dimensions of the Guide to promote gender equality in Latin American and Caribbean companies. This guide aims to provide direction to the business sector in designing and implementing measures that promote equal opportunities for men and women in workplace environments. It includes evidence, supporting tools, and both regional and international case studies. Additionally, it offers clear roadmaps with flexible recommendations adaptable to diverse business contexts and needs.

Working environments free of violence and harassment is one of the eight dimensions of the Guide to promote gender equality in Latin American and Caribbean companies. This guide aims to provide direction to the business sector in designing and implementing measures that promote equal opportunities for men and women in workplace environments. It includes evidence, supporting tools, and both regional and international case studies. Additionally, it offers clear roadmaps with flexible recommendations adaptable to diverse business contexts and needs.

Conciliation and co-responsibility for care is one of the eight dimensions of the Guide to promote gender equality in Latin American and Caribbean companies. This guide aims to provide direction to the business sector in designing and implementing measures that promote equal opportunities for men and women in workplace environments. It includes evidence, supporting tools, and both regional and international case studies. Additionally, it offers clear roadmaps with flexible recommendations adaptable to diverse business contexts and needs.

Equal compensation is one of the eight dimensions of the Guide to promote gender equality in Latin American and Caribbean companies. This guide aims to provide direction to the business sector in designing and implementing measures that promote equal opportunities for men and women in workplace environments. It includes evidence, supporting tools, and both regional and international case studies. Additionally, it offers clear roadmaps with flexible recommendations adaptable to diverse business contexts and needs.

Women's development and leadership is one of the eight dimensions of the Guide to promote gender equality in Latin American and Caribbean companies. This guide aims to provide direction to the business sector in designing and implementing measures that promote equal opportunities for men and women in workplace environments. It includes evidence, supporting tools, and both regional and international case studies. Additionally, it offers clear roadmaps with flexible recommendations adaptable to diverse business contexts and needs.