Piloting the Measurement of SDG Indicator 5.4.1 in Barbados

Author(s)/editor(s)

Authors: Claudia Nicholson, Lebrechtta Nana Oye Hesse-Bayne, Editors: Dr. Robin Haarr, PhD

In 2024, Barbados, in adherence to its commitment to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, fostered a partnership between the Barbados Statistical Service (BSS) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) Multi-Country Office (MCO) – Caribbean to collect data to measure SDG indicator 5.4.1, which is the proportion of time spent in a day on unpaid domestic and care work (UDCW), by sex, age and location.

This initiative was funded by the Joint SDG Fund Programme, Integrated Population Data and Policy Solutions to Accelerate SDGs Achievement in Barbados and Montserrat. This Joint Programme aims to facilitate gender analysis for evidence-based policy and programme development in Barbados and Montserrat, with a focus on SDG 3, to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, and SDG 5, to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

This data collection effort marks the first time that Barbados has provided nationally representative statistical estimates on UDCW, which were previously only discussed with anecdotal references. In addition to measuring SDG indicator 5.4.1, data collected also serves as a tool to guide policy and investment decisions for closing the known gender gap in UDCW and fostering economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction strategies.