RC Trebucq’s Remarks at the 2024 International Women's Day Reception & Living Museum

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

•    Dr Armstrong Alexis, Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM
•    Fellow RC Colleagues from across the region
•    Fellow UN Heads of Agencies
•    Members of the Diplomatic Corps, including Canada, the UK, and Japan
•    Permanent Secretary Jehu Wiltshire, on behalf of Minister Kirk Humphrey, Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs
•    Permanent Secretaries from across the region
•    CSO representatives

Distinguished guests, colleagues, and friends,

It is my pleasure to mark International Women's Day 2024 with all of you here in Barbados. This year's theme, "Invest in Women and Girls in the Eastern Caribbean," resonates deeply, echoing UN Secretary-General's call; “Ending Patriarchy Requires Money on the Table’.

Let's face the reality. Some stark figures reveal that:

OXFAM reports a global wealth gap of $105 trillion between women and men – four times more than the size of the US economy. And for more context, in 2020, the unpaid care work women perform globally is valued at $10.8 trillion annually, 3x the global tech industry's size.

Yet still, despite progress, women continue to face unequal pay and overrepresentation in insecure, low-wage jobs. (like outsourced or temporary jobs)

Furthermore, conflicts and rising living costs disproportionately impact women and girls, pushing them further into poverty. With estimates suggesting 75% of countries (including several Caribbean nations) will reduce public spending by 2025, essential services and social protection for women are at risk.

These figures are not just statistics; they represent real human lives and unfulfilled potential. They show us the societal cost of inaction and the urgent need for change.

The Cost of Inaction, the Power of Investment

Dear colleagues, we stand at a crossroads. We cannot afford the slow pace of progress or further budget cuts that disproportionately harm women. 

The slow pace of change and cuts to social services only ‘rub salt in the wound’. The financial and legal gaps women face not only hinder their progress but also get in the way of inclusive and sustainable development for all. Gender equality is not only a matter of justice but also a critical factor in achieving SDG acceleration. It strengthens economies, fuels progress, and builds stronger societies.

For this reason, targeted and intentional investment in women and girls is essential for genuine progress. According to UNCTAD, bridging the gender gap across eight key SDG areas in developing economies, including SIDS, would require an annual investment of $6.4 trillion from 2023 to 2030. This translates to $1,400 USD per person annually.

Investing in the Caribbean: Actionable Steps

That level of investment, at Government and Development System level translates into the following interventions in the Caribbean:

• Supporting women's organizations on the front line and developing leadership
   
• Investing in programs to end violence against women and girls, including in shelters for victims of GBV, legal aid, and holding perpetrators accountable.
   
• Quantifying and valuing women's unpaid care work.
   
• Advocating for quick legislative and policy reforms that promote gender equality.
   
• Enhancing women's inclusion in economic decision-making, leadership roles, businesses, technological work and climate action and climate financing.

The UN's Commitment

The UN Development System (UNDS) remains committed to promoting and mainstreaming gender equality and women's empowerment across all levels and programming. In Barbados and the Caribbean, we are actively working with governments, the private sector, and civil society to implement joint interventions for gender equality.

One example is the Canadian-funded Build Back Equal (BBE) Project, promoting women's economic security in Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. For IWD 2024 and through the BBE, countries will:

• Provide access to markets for women-led businesses to earn.
   
• Connect female entrepreneurs with financial information resources and
   
• Establish governance mechanisms to address gender-based violence.

In closing, all our efforts - technical cooperation, grant making, advocacy, programmes, and diverse forms of support - are dedicated to empowering women and girls across the region. Today continues our work together to make "Invest in Women and Girls in the Eastern Caribbean" not just a theme, but a reality.

Thank you.