This book presents a regional overview of gender and ethnic disparities in labor earnings during this last turn of the century. After this introduction, chapter 2 presents the methodology adopted by the book and the data sources employed. Chapter 3 then examines education in the region, highlighting the reversal of the gender schooling gap. Nowadays, girls attend more years of schooling than boys. After these three introductory chapters, the book then turns to the analysis of earnings gaps.