Why are we special?
What does ‘tika’ mean?
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In Costa Rica people are historically known as “ticos” and “ticas” because we use diminutive at the end of some words for example: cuchara (spoon) will be cucharitica (little spoon).
Noun, tika. Resolution; decision or determination to do, Tagalog .
The word is very appropriate for I have been known for my determination to do, and now I want to coach women on how to travel to and in Costa Rica.
"The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough."
- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Supporting Costa Rican Women
TIKA is born of my burning desire to support women who have Costa Rica on their bucket list to make their wish a reality.
And support women in Costa Rica by donating a percentage of the proceeds of TIKA services to women’s organizations in the country.
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TIKA is committed to research which women’s organizations need most financial support.
Women and
Education
As a woman with a higher education I consider myself ‘privileged’ because of my education, all of which was accomplished under scholarships. I know that I was privileged also because I was born in a country that values education, not to mention that both my parents wanted and supported all of us kids to have a higher education.
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But this is not the reality for many women. While Costa Rican women tend to opt to stay in school and are the largest number of students in University, this doesn’t necessarily translate into their inclusion in the workforce.
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The percentage of girls enrolled in tertiary level education is 59.8% compared to 46.6% for boys. This enrollment rate is higher in comparison to the World Bank’s data which indicates that girls enrolled in tertiary education is only 38.9 %.
The feminization of poverty has continued to increase since 2010 and gender inequality has increased through the increasing rates of income inequality.
And, the COVID- 19 Pandemic resulted in more unemployment or underemployment for women worldwide.
Costa Rica was no exception. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), 24.6% of women are considered unemployed, compared to 15.2% for men.
Feminization of
Poverty
Laws protecting
women
Another concerning fact is the femicide cases which continue in the raising. According to the borgenprojects’ article, “since 2007, 400 women have died of femicide with 51 cases still pending investigation.”
The government has approved the Comprehensive reparation bill for survivors of femicide on April 28, 2022. It also enacted the Law to Prevent, Address, Punish and Eradicate Violence against Women in Politics on May 3, 2022.
"It is a fact that when you change a girl’s life, you affect her vision of herself and her immediate world and the world that she will have an impact on."
- Oprah Winfrey
