The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has held important engagements at the United Nations, jointly sponsored by the governments of Canada, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and UN Women Multi-country offices from the Eastern Caribbean and Fiji.

The side event, held on the margins of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, addressed some of the most pressing issues affecting women in all Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The event was held under the theme “SIDS and Gender Equality—Charting the Course Toward Resilient Prosperity for All Using a Gender Lens.”

This timely and productive exercise aimed to ensure that gender equality is placed at the center of progress review processes in SIDS.

The country will also host a SIDS Gender Equality Forum on May 25 and 26, which will provide a dedicated space for people from various stakeholder groups and multiple sectors across all SIDS regions to explore gender equality and SIDS from a broad range of perspectives.

The event was led by Samantha Marshall, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of State for Social Transformation and Gender Affairs.

The challenges that SIDS faces in achieving its sustainable development goals are complex and multifaceted.

From persistent inequalities ingrained in individual mindsets to the alarming prevalence of violence against women, especially in the digital realm, our communities grapple with challenges that impede the march towards true gender equality and women’s empowerment.

One of the major objectives of the event was to identify key considerations and areas that can be included in the 10-year action plan that will be developed from the 4th SIDS Conference.

The action plan will ensure the sustainability of actions towards gender equality in SIDS and will help devise a new decade of partnerships and solutions geared at achieving a resilient and prosperous future.