With a starting injection of close to one million dollars, the United Nations and the Government of Bermuda put their new cooperation framework into action by launching a programme to close the business financing gaps that particularly affect women, the youth and people living with disabilities.

The United Nations Joint SDG Fund has injected nearly $1 million into this programme which takes steps to facilitate the sustainable economic empowerment of women, youth and people with disabilities and their greater access to financial mechanisms, knowledge sharing and capacity building particularly in areas of agribusiness and fishing.

UN Women and the Directorate of Gender Affairs in Antigua and Barbuda recently supported consultations on CEDAW reporting and implementation for state partners and members of civil society organisations.

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Director of the Programme Division, Maria Noel Vaeza and UN Women MCO Caribbean Representative Christine Arab recently met with the CARICOM Permanent Representatives to the United Nations and Permanent Mission

UN Women launched its flagship report “Progress of the World’s Women 2015-2016: Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights” which highlights how economies have failed to guarantee women's empowerment and the full exercise of their economic and social rights, in rich countries and poor countries.