A gendered UBI proposal for the new Chilean constitution (or why being a surfer is not the same as being a caregiver)

Abstract

Chile has become the first country in the world where an equal number of men and women will draft the new Constitution due a parity law that was passed in March 2020. In addition, this historic opportunity will take place during one of the worst health pandemics in recorded history, COVID-19, which has revealed deep gender inequalities. The new Chilean Constitution, drafted with gender parity, will have a unique opportunity to grant a right to a universal basic income (UBI), which has been targeted to address some of the worst consequences of the pandemic: the increase in poverty, unemployment, and vulnerability of women. This article reviews the theories developed to justify a UBI and the feminist critics who argue that not all UBI is equally advantageous to women. The misconception that a ‘morally neutral’ model is sufficient and women-friendly disregards the way in which it encourages stereotypes that feminists have fought for centuries. We argue for the development of public policies with a gender focus, especially the right to a ‘gendered UBI’. This means a UBI that meets two basic requirements: first, that every citizen or resident be guaranteed the same amount of income from birth; second, that caregivers be provided with management rights to turn the UBI into a compensatory income that can also promote changes in gender roles, encouraging men to become caregivers.