Gender snapshot at Work in the Caribbean

The Caribbean has largely rebounded from the pandemic, but deep-rooted gender inequalities continue to shape women’s experiences in the workplace. Women remain overrepresented in the most vulnerable sectors, such as tourism and domestic work, and underrepresented in higher-paying, male-dominated industries like STEM and oil and gas. Despite progress in some countries, structural barriers and limited legal protections hinder true gender parity.

Persistent gender gaps: Female labour force participation in the Caribbean stands at 52.1%—23 percentage points lower than men. Unemployment rates for women are consistently higher across the region, with young women, those with less education, and indigenous women facing the greatest obstacles.

Sectoral segregation: Women are concentrated in tourism and services, sectors hardest hit by the pandemic and climate-related disasters. In contrast, men dominate industry and high-growth sectors such as oil and gas, where women’s representation can be as low as 5% in key roles.

Legal protections lag: While all Caribbean states have signed core conventions on equal pay and non-discrimination, ratification of other critical conventions—such as those on maternity protection, family responsibilities, and violence and harassment—remains low. Only three countries provide at least 14 weeks of maternity leave, and just one offers paid paternity leave.

Care work burden: Unpaid care work falls disproportionately on women, limiting their ability to participate fully in the labour market. In Jamaica, women spend nearly four times as much time on unpaid care as men.

Vulnerable domestic workers: Domestic work, overwhelmingly performed by women, is characterized by long hours and low pay. In several countries, domestic workers earn less than half the average wage of other salaried workers.

Climate vulnerability: Natural disasters such as Hurricane Beryl have severely impacted sectors where women predominate, exacerbating economic insecurity. Women farmers are less likely to have insurance or own productive assets, making recovery more difficult.

Gender-based violence: Nearly half of Caribbean women have experienced some form of violence, including in the workplace. Only three countries have ratified the Violence and Harassment Convention, though some have enacted national legislation to address workplace harassment.