When picturing Barbados many people imagine golden beaches and sunny skies, yet this is not always the reality. Barbados, located in the Caribbean Sea, is one of the many places in the world that still experiences gender inequality. According to the World Economic Forum, in Barbados, “women earn about 86.8% of their male counterparts.” This means that even in today’s modern age, women are still experiencing a huge pay difference from men. Due to experiencing a larger pay difference than men, women in Barbados are more likely to experience poverty. As well as this, according to the U.N., “more women than men tend to fall below the poverty line.”

The Issue

The gender pay gap seems to be something of the past, but the evidence in places such as Barbados shows that this is not the case at all and that the gender wage gap remains. Women are continually experiencing negative stigma and inconsistencies in working conditions such as wages and this statistic only serves to highlight this problem. Women who are experiencing a gender wage gap are experiencing this due to, “a population’s cultural beliefs and attitudes toward women.” This means that many countries are still harboring negative and sexist attitudes towards women, which needs to change for the gender wage gap in Barbados and around the world to fully close.

Tackling the gender pay gap in places like Barbados could create better living conditions as well as more opportunities for jobs around the world. The gender wage gap in Barbados highlights the inequalities that are still prevalent between men and women, and studies show that “countries with more gender equality tend to be happier.” Improving gender equality and the gender pay gap benefits both men and women.

The Future

Mother’s Union is fighting for gender equality across the globe and support women who are in these places striving for equality as well as providing a safe space for women to talk. Since 1913, the Mother’s Union has more than 2,000 members who help reach out to women and support them in Barbados. The Mother’s Union has many different outreach programs in Barbados such as counseling services and skills training. In 2023 it also celebrated its 110th year anniversary.

– Kiera Egars

Kiera is based in Leeds, UK and focuses on Politics and World News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr