WASHINGTON, DC — THE Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis continues to uphold its commitment to gender equality and the vital role of women in society, as demonstrated by its recent celebration of International Women’s Day at the Organization of American States (OAS).
Over the years, St. Kitts and Nevis has implemented numerous programs aimed at advancing the status of women and girls across all sectors of society, a progress worthy of recognition.
Jacinth Henry-Martin, Permanent Representative to the OAS, reaffirmed the Federation’s stance, stating that St. Kitts and Nevis "...a firm proponent of the empowerment and advancement of women, young women and girls, ensuring that we all enjoy the rights, opportunities and liberties to reach our full potential, free from discrimination and for the corresponding benefits this inspires for our communities and our world."
March 8th is officially recognized as International Women’s Day, with this year’s theme, "For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.", highlighting the challenges women continue to face globally.
In her address, Ambassador Henry-Martin reflected on the strides St. Kitts and Nevis has made toward gender equality, emphasizing government-led initiatives designed to create an enabling environment for women and girls to thrive.
“Our Project Viola Teen Mothers Programme, recognised by UNICEF as a best practise in the region for eliminating educational disruptions faced by teenage mothers, is one standout example. A federal cabinet decision mandates that teenage mothers be allowed to return to school after giving birth, ensuring they continue their education and are not permanently disadvantaged by a disruption in their broadest development,” she explained.
To further enhance the program’s impact, the Ministry of Social Development has expanded Project Viola to include a shadow mentorship component, pairing teen mothers with professional women in their fields of interest. This initiative provides young mothers with firsthand career exposure, inspiring them to pursue their ambitions.
Ambassador Henry-Martin elaborated: “the programme integrates personal and familial capacity building training, coupled with wraparound social services, fostering holistic support for young mothers. Another impactful initiative is the Women's Employment, Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion Project”.
She noted that hundreds of unemployed women have benefited from this project, leading to the establishment of 60 new startups, each supported by a US$3,000 angel fund.
“To date, hundreds of unemployed women have benefited from this project, and 60 new startups have been established with the support of a US$3,000 angel fund. This initiative not only fosters economic independence for women, but also contributes significantly to national economic development. On the policy front, St. Kitts and Nevis has approved and commenced the implementation of the National Gender Equality Policy and Action Plan, which underscores the government's unwavering commitment to fostering gender equality and creating an equitable society.”
Led by the Department of Gender Affairs, with support from UNESCO, a monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework is being developed to track the policy’s progress and impact. Additionally, in collaboration with CARICOM and the Caribbean Development Bank, efforts are underway to strengthen data collection processes and institutional capacity for effective implementation.
