Investing in Inclusive Development
Despite some progress, gender inequality remains a structural barrier to development across the Caribbean. Women are overrepresented in low-wage jobs, underrepresented in leadership roles, and disproportionately impacted by poverty, violence, and unpaid care responsibilities. At the same time, boys face lower educational attainment and higher exposure to violence, with long-term consequences for social cohesion and productivity.
SDF 11 will accelerate gender-responsive development by mainstreaming gender equality across all programme areas and ensuring that investments address the distinct needs and contributions of women, men, girls, and boys. More specifically, the Programme will:
- Support gender analysis during project design and implementation, to ensure interventions respond to existing disparities.
- Promote gender-responsive budgeting and planning, including within public investment frameworks.
- Advance women’s economic empowerment, particularly through access to finance, entrepreneurship support, and skills development.
- Address gender-based violence through prevention and response programming integrated into social sector and citizen security initiatives.
- Support inclusive decision-making, with efforts to strengthen women’s leadership and representation in institutional and community processes.
Closing Persistent Gaps That Weaken Development Outcomes
Gender inequality limits the Region’s full development potential. It undermines household resilience, restricts access to opportunity, and reinforces cycles of poverty and exclusion. SDF 11 will tackle these gaps head-on by embedding gender equality into the design and delivery of projects, not as a standalone issue, but as a core driver of development impact. By applying a gender lens across sectors such as education, infrastructure, climate action, and governance, SDF 11 will help ensure that resources are allocated equitably, barriers to participation are removed, and both women and men benefit fully from development gains.