WASHINGTON, DC -- St. Kitts and Nevis’ Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Jacinth Henry-Martin, has reaffirmed the Federation’s commitment to placing women’s economic rights at the center of development across the hemisphere.
Speaking during a meeting of the Permanent Council of the OAS, and delivering a statement on behalf of St. Kitts and Nevis in her capacity as Coordinator of the CARICOM Caucus, Ambassador Henry-Martin opened with a clear declaration: “that sustainable development, democratic resilience, and social justice across our hemisphere depend fundamentally on the full realisation of women’s rights, including their economic rights.”
She noted that the Federation continues to back its words with action, grounding its national efforts within the broader inter-American and international human rights framework. In doing so, she referenced key instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Ambassador Henry-Martin also pointed to the Federation’s National Gender Equality Policy and Action Plan 2022–2027, which affirms women’s economic autonomy as both a human right and a development imperative. Complementing this policy framework are local programmes designed to strengthen support for women and their rights, including LIFT Programme, as well as initiatives such as MEND and RISE.
“We have also placed deliberate emphasis on women’s entrepreneurship, skills training, and access to markets, since the strong participation of women in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise initiatives in our Federation demonstrates that when barriers are reduced, and support is intentional, women lead not only in their households, but in national economic transformation,” she noted.
Despite these efforts, she acknowledged that challenges remain. Women continue to make up a significant share of the workforce and dominate key sectors such as services, tourism, education, and healthcare. Increasingly, they are also at the forefront of micro and small enterprise development.
However, persistent gender wage gaps, occupational segregation, limited access to capital, and disproportionate unpaid care responsibilities continue to restrict women’s full economic participation. These constraints are compounded by the Caribbean’s structural vulnerabilities — including climate change, natural disasters, high debt burdens, and exposure to external shocks — all of which disproportionately affect women, particularly those in informal or precarious employment.
Disruptions to tourism and agriculture, rising unpaid care responsibilities, and heightened poverty among female-headed households have reinforced a critical point: women’s economic rights are inseparable from climate resilience, social protection, and sustainable economic diversification.
While CARICOM states have advanced legislative reform and gender mainstreaming, the statement stressed that economic justice for women demands sustained, practical action. This includes stronger legal protections against discrimination, expanded access to affordable childcare, greater financial inclusion and credit for women entrepreneurs, investment in digital literacy, gender-responsive budgeting, improved data systems, and intensified regional efforts to address gender-based violence as a barrier to economic autonomy.
St. Kitts and Nevis, alongside the CARICOM Caucus, remains steadfast in advancing that shared agenda — not as a symbolic gesture, but as a necessary step toward sustainable development for all.
