Int’l Women’s Day 2023: ‘We must not lose sight of issues preventing achievement of women’s equality’ – Caricom SG

In celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) with a focus on technology and innovation, the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Dr Carla Barnett, has urged that we must not lose sight of the many issues that stand in the way of achieving women’s equality.
These, she noted, include women’s political participation, unpaid care and domestic work, the impact of climate change; and gender-based violence, which is a public health crisis in the Caribbean. According to her, the global average shows that one in three women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lifetime, usually from an intimate partner.
And in the Caribbean region, prevalence surveys conducted between 2016 and 2018 in five member states indicate incident rates as high as one in two women, Dr Barnett pointed out.
The Caricom SG said the theme for this year’s IWD, “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality”, is aligned with the priority theme for the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, underway at the United Nations (UN).
The day, she added, is set aside to acknowledge women’s contributions to technology, and to explore the impact of the digital gender divide on widening economic and social inequalities, exacerbated during the height of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
She said it also highlights the importance of protecting the rights of women and girls in digital spaces, and of addressing online and ICT-facilitated gender-based violence.
“The timeliness and relevance of this year’s theme cannot be overstated, as technology and innovation are playing an increasingly important role to shape our region and the world. Technology and innovation are opening new avenues for women and girls, thus contributing to gender equality in several ways,” she disclosed.
“Through digital platforms and online resources, women and girls are gaining access to educational opportunities and career paths that were previously unavailable to them. This is particularly true in underserved communities, where traditional barriers such as geography, culture, and a lack of resources can prevent them from pursuing their dreams,” she added.
According to her, technological advancements are making education and training more accessible to women, particularly in the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) fields. This, she added, provides women with more opportunities to participate in the workforce, which can lead to greater economic independence, empowerment, and higher pay.
“Innovation and technological change can also lead to more flexible work arrangements, which can help women balance their work and family responsibilities. Innovations in medical technology also promise to improve women’s health outcomes and access to healthcare services, such as new treatments for reproductive health, remote monitoring of pregnancies, and telemedicine services,” Dr Barnett said in her statement to mark the occasion.
But even as we embrace the possibilities of technology and innovation, she emphasised, it is important to recognise the potential challenges and risks that come with those advancements; among them are online violence, harassment, and privacy concerns, all of which disproportionately affect women and girls.
To this end, the SG remarked, “As we observe IWD this year, our thoughts and prayers are with the women and girls in Haiti, who are experiencing the grossest violations, as they are targeted by gangs who are ravaging and killing them with impunity.
“Protecting women and girls must be a priority. Therefore, as we observe International Women’s Day across the Community, let us work toward greater representation of women and girls in all areas of leadership and decision-making, especially in technology, politics, business, health, the arts, and culture,” she continued.
“By so doing, we can create a more inclusive and equitable “DigitALL” world, where innovation and technology bridge gender equality.
“Today (Wednesday, March 8), the day belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. Today we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and recommit ourselves to the work that still needs to be done to accelerate women’s equality.”
International Women’s Day is a special observance that was adopted by the United Nations 48 years ago, in 1975, during the International Women’s Year. The first IWD observance occurred well over a century ago with the gathering numbering over a million women in 1911. IWD is celebrated on March 8th annually.