Achieving true gender equality in the Caribbean requires more than just responsive actions—it demands a transformative shift in how institutions and governments address the barriers that perpetuate inequality. This was the key message during an inaugural staff Community of Practice hybrid session with participation from UN staff across Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.

The Governments of Barbados and Montserrat are better equipped to collect and analyze data, to foster gender equality and advance inclusive health and social development policies, thanks to a recently concluded Joint SDG Fund Programme for Integrated Population Data and Policy Solutions, and marking a significant step forward in sustainable development for both countries

With a substantial investment of nearly USD one million, the Joint SDG Fund was a pioneering initiative and the first of its kind in The Bahamas and Bermuda. It aimed to address the unique challenges faced by medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) in the creative and cultural, agribusiness, and tourism industries sectors and foster sustainable economic growth.

“It is pause for thought that this cost in terms of GDP of violence against women and girls in Grenada is 5.24%. These are significant resources that could be directed elsewhere. This is an area that I hope as duty bearers we can look at closely with a gender-budgeting lens, our new way of doing business."

UN Women MCO Caribbean is seeking to engage 30 Champions for the Beijing Platform for Action 30th Anniversary, also known as Beijing +30

When Hurricane Beryl tore through the Caribbean in early summer, it left a trail of destroyed homes, unpassable roads, and ruined local infrastructure. As nations begin to rebuild after Beryl and brace themselves for even more storms, UN Women has been on the ground and working to ensure that women are fully integrated into recovery efforts.

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.

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.

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 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

The Barbados Statistical Service (BSS) and UN Women Multi-Country Office (MCO) - Caribbean have partnered to implement a regional initiative aimed at determining the contribution of unpaid domestic care work to the economy, introducing targeted questions to the Continuous Labour Force Survey.

Launch of the Dominica National Project Steering Committee for the The Global Affairs Canada-funded Build Back Equal Project which focuses on ensuring women and youth-owned businesses have access to affordable and adequate financing, fit for purpose social protection programmes, and more effective sexual and reproductive health service access

Joint Statement by Parliamentarians, representatives of national gender machineries, civil society representatives, and experts, on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls

The United Nations Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week (LACCW) will be convened from October 23 to 27, 2023 hosted by the Government of Panama; leaders, activists, policymakers and experts from across the region will assemble to take stock on the critical challenges of climate change ahead of COP28 in Dubai.

Under the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative, UN Women implementing partner Atlantic Council brought together UN agencies, Government officials from several departments, civil society representatives, academics and students to discuss the challenges and opportunities around ending GBV and enhancing women’s economic empowerment.

The EU-UN Spotlight Initiative is supporting The Barbados Police Service (TBPS) Family Conflict Unit with its data capture and management of gender-based violence cases.  Officials from the EU and UN Women presented computer equipment to the specialised unit of the BPS to process, store, and analyse data on gender-based violence.

This Caribbean Resilient, Inclusive, Smart and Safe (RISS) Cities Model for the planning and development of public space in urban and other settlements addresses the integrated nature of urban planning