US Group Partners With UN to Tackle 'Gender-Based Challenges' in the Caribbean

WASHINGTON, DC – The US-based Atlantic Council, says its Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center (AALAC) has formed a new partnership with the UN Women Multi-Country Office in the Caribbean “to tackle the most pressing gender-based challenges in the Caribbean”.

The group said it will focus on gender equity and security in the Caribbean particularly in Guyana and Jamaica.

“Women and girls in the Caribbean face unique challenges that prevent them from reaching equal footing in society,” said Valentina Sader, AALAC associate director and leader of the center’s gender-related work.

“These include lack of access to critical resources to rebuild after natural disasters and barriers to political representation.”

Sader pointed to studies that suggest that elected or appointed women represent less than half  of all political offices in the Caribbean, and that 46 per cent of women in the region experience violence at least once in their lifetime.

She said AALAC will leverage its global and regional networks and its “uniquely-positioned” Caribbean Initiative to raise awareness and foster dialogue on the challenges facing women and girls in the Caribbean.

Specifically, she said the project will cover peace, security, and gender-based violence; democracy and political representation; economic recovery and empowerment; and climate and climate financing.

“In the same way that the Atlantic Council has been able to strengthen relationships between civil society organizations and policymakers in the United States and across Latin America, I feel confident that the Caribbean will greatly benefit from this proven capacity,” said UN Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean Representative, Tonni Brodber.

The Atlantic Council said AALAC will work with UN Women to hold discussions and consultations with in-region individuals and organizations, multilateral groups, private sector representatives and financial institutions.

“A key objective will be to facilitate a deeper understanding of social norms around gender in the Caribbean, build momentum and secure buy-in from relevant stakeholders across sectors and regions, and generate concrete policy recommendations with a gender-based approach for the Caribbean.”

It said AALAC “broadens understanding of regional transformations, while demonstrating why Latin America and the Caribbean matter for the world.”

AALAC’s Caribbean Initiative began programming in February 2021 “to raise awareness about key Caribbean Community (CARICOM) priorities with US and global stakeholders while deepening US engagement with the region around shared interests,” the Atlantic Council said.

“The Initiative is a platform for US and Caribbean stakeholders to offer new and innovative insights to advance a closer US-Caribbean partnership and the overall prosperity, stability, and well-being of the region,” it added.

UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.