The Barbados Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs is calling attention to the importance of men sharing the care for children, the elderly and all members of the household in a more equal fashion to women. UN Women Multi-Country Office - Caribbean was pleased to attend the Pledge The Commitment Share The Care Event in partnership with the Government of Barbados.

CDB, UN Women MCO-Caribbean and the UWI-Cave Hill have joined forces to confront one of the region's most urgent challenges: the increasing prevalence of violence, including youth violence, that threatens Caribbean communities. At the recent Caribbean Futures High-Level Anti-Violence Forum, held under the 16th cycle of the CIGAD, the three institutions convened youth leaders, policymakers, researchers and community practitioners from across the Caribbean to take up this challenge together.

Justice officials, stakeholders from government ministries, trade unions, the private sector, and social development agencies recently came together to review proposals, as a part of national consultations on care-related legislation and unpaid care work. Under the #BuildBackEqual Project, UN Women MCO-Caribbean is leading discussions on how laws and policies can better support workers in balancing family and work responsibilities.

UN Women MCO-Caribbean reaffirmed UN Women’s longstanding partnership with the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, a key regional partner for UN Women since 1992, at the official opening of the 16th Caribbean Institute in Gender and Development (CIGAD) on 8 July 2026. This event brought together a new cohort of 26 emerging leaders, public officers, academics, advocates, and changemakers committed to advancing gender equality and social justice across the Caribbean.

Care services create paid jobs and are also fundamental to parents, particularly women’s participation in the workforce. Hear from an expert - UN Women Consultant, Mahalia Jackman, Professor of Economics and Inclusive Development, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, on care economies, government investment and more.

Forty representatives from the justice, policing, health, social services and education sectors in concert with the Division of Gender Affairs and civil society organizations concluded a two-day national training aimed at strengthening Saint Lucia's coordinated response to gender-based violence (GBV) through the implementation of newly developed Multi-Sector Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

A new UN Women report finds that 84 per-cent of women’s organizations report that demand for their services has increased since January 2025, while nearly nine in 10 can no longer meet current levels of need

UN Women MCO-Caribbean focused its attention on the women who had the greatest family responsibilities with children aged 5 years and under, targeting the support to help the women absorb and recover from the impacts of Hurricane Melissa.

Sixteen years ago, UN Women was created to advance gender equality, the autonomy, and the rights of women and girls in all their diversity, and to strengthen those who make this progress possible across all sectors. Since then, UN Women has supported laws, public policies, social movements, community leadership, and partnerships in Latin America and the Caribbean that have transformed lives and shown that change is possible.

UN Women MCO-Caribbean team meets with the Minister of Labour and Social Security in Jamaica during follow-up mission on the Hurricane Melissa Response

Caribbean feminist leaders, women’s rights advocates, civil society representatives, and academic experts have contributed substantive proposals to strengthen the draft General Recommendation No. 41 of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), a forthcoming global normative instrument focused on eliminating gender stereotypes and the unequal power relations that sustain them.

Caribbean Parliamentarians and national gender machinery representatives met at the recently held "Better Practices in Legislation, Policy, and Financing Subsidised Care Systems: Using the '5R' Approach and Principles" meeting hosted by ParlAmericas, UN Women and the Parliament of Grenada

UN Women MCO Caribbean launched two transformative pilots to strengthen the Care Economy and Social Assistance Programmes through the Build Back Equal Project which is funded in part by Global Affairs Canada

Caribbean countries are demonstrating leadership in revising laws, expanding income and social protection for the most economically vulnerable, and strengthening child and elder care support. These commitments help ensure that women and men have the time and stability needed to pursue full-time employment. This is exactly the kind of action required to move the gender equality agenda forward.

The human rights of women — including the right to security, dignity, equality and justice — are core principles of international law. Violence against Women is a global crisis. It is a crisis here in the Caribbean too!

Lana Athanaze-Francis' dedication to excellence has propelled her far beyond the shores and shops of Dominica. Through opportunities with the Build Back Equal Project, a comprehensive approach to economic empowerment funded in part by the Government of Canada and being implemented by UN Women and UNFPA, Éclat Nova Luxuries has been showcased on international platforms, proving that small island businesses can compete globally.

For many, moving to the Caribbean conjures visions of serene beaches and easy living. For Mar Echevarria, a UN Volunteer and Gender and Development Specialist, it meant something far deeper—a chance to create impact from the ground up.

Migration has always been a force that binds the world together. Across borders and generations, the movement of people has driven cultural exchange, strengthened communities, and energized economies.

Crime and violence is a public health concern requiring solutions that stem from a human rights and gender-responsive approach. UN Women, through the Build Back Equal (BBE) project joined the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and national stakeholders to develop a strategy that leverages the leadership and expertise of civil society organizations (CSOs) in tackling the social challenges.

UN Women works to safeguard the rights of women and girls who are among the more vulnerable of the affected persons in a crisis, ensuring they are at the centre and meaningfully participating in relief and recovery. These efforts provide critical protection from incidences of violence or, where these occur, they are able to safely access the needed services – health, shelter, psychosocial support, legal support and justice