The active participation of women in the Caribbean’s political landscape is critical to fulfilling the potential of democracy.
Women make essential contributions to achieving and maintaining peacefully secure communities, the realisation of human rights, disease eradication, hunger and poverty and the promotion of sustainable development.
When women realise their full rights to participate in political processes, all of society stands to benefit. Even so, there are many obstacles to women’s full participation in politics.
According to the United Nations, “On average, 22 per cent of ministerial portfolios/cabinet positions in the Anglophone Caribbean are held by women. Across the region, women generally do not hold more than 30 per cent of elected positions with the exception of Guyana (which has a legislated quota of one-third of the number of political nominees must be women) and Trinidad and Tobago.”