ADVANCING CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT - Women and girls in the Caribbean face challenges that limit their access to sustainable livelihoods. Prominent amongst them are gender-based violence (GBV) and unequal economic opportunities. The prevalence of GBV in the Caribbean stands out in international comparisons. In 2019, five of the top twenty recorded rape rates worldwide were in the Caribbean and surveys compiled by UN Women suggest that 46 percent of women in the Caribbean have experienced at least one form of violence in their lifetime. Moreover, women continue to experience inequality in the labor market, with higher unemployment levels despite educational advancements; suffer pay inequity; are segmented in the lowest paying jobs and carry the disproportionate burden of care for children.

What challenges does the region face to making substantial progress on both challenges? What opportunities exist for government, civil society organizations, and private sector to coalesce around solving these issues?

This discussion, hosted in partnership with UN Women, a Recipient UN Organisation (RUNO) in the European Union – United Nations – Government of Jamaica Spotlight Initiative Programme, explored mechanisms to curb gender-based violence in Jamaica and in the broader Caribbean, while also diving deeper into the social, political, and economic opportunities of effectively empowering women economically.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 10/05/23