In 2009, women made up almost 60 percent of female graduates and postgraduates in Chile. The female employment rate in Chile is at slightly over 40 percent and this is attributable to a number of factors. A notable contributing cultural factor to women's absence from the labor force is that in Chile, women must often choose between working or raising a family. The notorious 'machista' or male perspective that women should remain at home common in Latin American countries tends to discourage women from joining the labor force, despite their level of education.