Across the world and the SIDS, women depend more on, yet have less access to resources. Women are employed in sectors with high vulnerability to disasters and climate change, concentrated in tourism-related services and sales sectors, making them more exposed to economic shocks during and after the crisis than men, whose employment is more diversified. Unleashing the power of women as first responders to crisis, disaster risk reduction, and building economic and environmental resilience is crucial to achieving sustainable development.

At the recently concluded Gender Equality Forum in Antigua and Barbuda, more than two hundred stakeholders, coming from more than 40 countries across all SIDS regions as well as non-SIDS areas and representing a wide range of constituencies and sectors, committed to the vital advocacy for and implementation of key actions to ensure that gender equality is at the center of the SIDS agenda.

SIDS hold countless opportunities for resilience-building that can propel their progress and achievements towards sustainable development, and despite notable progress towards gender equality, they also have distinctive challenges that hinder women and girls’ empowerment and their rights. That is why UN Women co-hosted a Gender Equality Forum from 25 to 26 May in Antigua and Barbuda, ahead of the fourth International Conference on SIDS (SIDS4).

UN Women MCO-Caribbean and the Government of Grenada launched a partnership which aims to implement a series of Gender-Responsive Social Protection initiatives to accelerate the progress of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5 5): "Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls” in Grenada.

Women and youth entrepreneurs, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) owners, and other underserved groups in Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Lucia are poised to benefit from a US$1.4 million UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund Joint Programme that will prioritize innovative financing solutions for underserved groups.

Government representatives, leaders from women's and civil society organizations, and regional intergovernmental frameworks met to assess the challenges for peaceful and safe societies in the Caribbean

The United Nations Joint Programme, "Modernisation of the Social Protection Systems in Jamaica, Towards an Adaptive, Shock Responsive, Inclusive System" has concluded after a robust programme of work which enhanced social protection payment systems while strengthening the capacity of government to respond to the most vulnerable Jamaicans during emergencies.

The “Vulnerable Population Response for Bahamas Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Agencies Program” is a three-year initiative which will be implemented in collaboration with a wide range of justice stakeholders locally. The program is designed to prioritize access to justice for marginalized populations, enhance redress and support mechanisms for survivors and victims of violence, and provide long-term rehabilitation support for perpetrators.

The Jamaica Stock Exchange officially marked International Women's Day with the Honourable Olivia Grange - Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Ringing The Bell to raise awareness of the pivotal role the private sector can play in advancing gender equality.

This year’s IWD theme was a significant opportunity to highlight the expanse of projects, countries, partners and thematic areas the MCO Caribbean covers across its geographic mandate of 22 countries and territories in the Dutch and English-speaking Caribbean. Here is a brief highlight of the activities surrounding IWD where UN Women MCO Caribbean facilitated, collaborated and participated in.

The UN Women Multi-Country Office - Caribbean, seeks to partner with a Responsible Party (CSO) to lead on activities concerning Gender-Based Violence, Youth Crime, and Trafficking in Persons, across various Caribbean countries

An Evening of Empowerment was hosted by UN Women and CIBC, one of several activities held around International Women's Day

UN Women was recently part of a gender sensitive communication workshop funded by the Global Affairs Canada Build Back Equal Project in partnership with the Canada-CARICOM Expert Deployment Mechanism implemented by Catalyse+ with facilitation by Canada’s CUSO International

The region’s progress on implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the efficacy of the United Nations partnership in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, came under the microscope this week, as regional Governments joined with the United Nations System to assess their joint response to regional development priorities under the current UN Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework

I Am A Girl IWD 2024 Event: "Invest in Solidarity and Sisterhood to Ensure that No One Is Left Behind"

Calendar of events for International Women's Day 2024 that UN Women MCO-Caribbean will be hosting or taking part in

As conflict, climate change and polarizing societies are eroding decades of progress in gender equality, this International Women's Day UN Women is calling on “Invest in women: Accelerate Progress” to realise the gender equality dividend for all

Trinidad and Tobago's National Strategic Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Violence was launched on March 4th, 2024 at a gathering of representatives of civil society organisations, international development partners, and Government Ministries, at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre

UN Women through implementation of the UN Trust Fund for Human Security Joint Programme recently presented computer equipment to Barbados’ Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security to support increasing women’s awareness of entrepreneurial incentive and social protection schemes.

Investing in women to accelerate progress (#IWD2024) through resilient and sustainable initiatives were among the topics discussed when Representative Tonni Brodber, received Ms. Dona Regis Prosper, Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, at the UN Women MCO Caribbean office