Law for the Promotion of Women's Social Equality (Law No. 7142)

The Law for the Promotion of Women's Social Equality (Ley N.º 7142, of 8 March 1990, and its amendments) is the framework law that obliges the Costa Rican State to promote and guarantee equal rights between men and women in the political, economic, social and cultural spheres.

It establishes, in general terms:

• It requires public institutions to incorporate gender equality into their policies, programmes and services.
• It prohibits discrimination against women on the basis of sex in access to work, education and social‑political participation.
• It recognises the right to equal pay for work of equal value, whether the work is performed in the same position or in different positions with similar functions, under the same employer, in both the public and private sectors.

Salary‑equity reform: Law No. 9677 specifically amended Law 7142 to strengthen protection of equal pay between women and men, including mechanisms that allow a claim when an unjustified wage difference exists because of sex. For details on general labour rights (notice, severance, vacation, Christmas bonus), see the record for the Codigo de Trabajo.

Governing institution: the Instituto Nacional de las Mujeres (INAMU) is the state body responsible for designing and implementing public gender‑equality policies, in coordination with the Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (MTSS) and other state institutions. INAMU also provides guidance and support to women facing discrimination or violence.

• Official website: www.inamu.go.cr

Where to report a salary difference or any other form of workplace discrimination based on sex: you can go to the Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (MTSS) or file a claim with the labour courts. For cases that also involve harassment or other conduct that may constitute a crime, a separate criminal complaint must be filed.

Relation to other laws in this knowledge base: Law 7142 regulates social and salary equality; it is distinct from the Ley contra la Violencia Doméstica (Law No. 7586, see separate record), which sets protection measures against violence within the family. The laws are complementary but have different objectives and procedures.

Note: this summary outlines the purpose and the most frequently consulted provisions of the law; it does not replace the full text or its amendments. For the complete and up‑to‑date text, consult the Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica (SCIJ/PGR) or INAMU.