Insights from Unite Caribbean Consulting that Address the Hidden Crisis Undermining Public Health, Social Protection, and National Resilience
The Caribbean is no exception to the many regions that are plagued by violence against women and girls (VAWG) globally. While the World Health Organization reports that 1 in 3 women have experienced violence of some form, a UN Women study focused on five English-speaking Caribbean countries, puts the regional estimate closer to 1 in 2 women or 46% of women. A figure that may still fall short of reality.
Underreporting, cultural stigma and limited data collection suggest that the true prevalence of VAWG may be significantly higher – and its impacts are far-reaching, affecting individuals physically, psychologically, emotionally, and financially.
At Unite Caribbean Consulting, one of the region’s leading international development management consulting firms, we’ve seen first-hand the consequences of gender-based violence and have continued to work with regional and local partners, and stakeholders to explore some of the barriers and complexities to addressing these issues.
Why This Silent Epidemic Demands Urgent Action in the Caribbean
VAWG is often wrongly viewed as a “domestic” issue. Yet according to UN Women, countries in the Caribbean are paying a high economic cost. In Grenada, VAWG costs are estimated at USD 63 million annually, or 5.24% of Grenada’s 2019 GDP. While in Jamaica, the toll is even higher – USD 1 billion for the year 2018. These figures include both direct costs like healthcare and policing, and indirect losses such as diminished productivity and lost income.
Shedding light on the urgency to address VAWG, Unite Caribbean’s Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist, Zainab Adebayo sat down with Dr. Tonia Frame, President of the Board of Directors of the Grenada Planned Parenthood Association, and one of the main contributing authors to the UN Women Grenada Economic Costs of Violence Against Women and Girls (ECOVAWG) Report. During the exchange, Dr. Frame explained that appropriate measures should capture the needs of survivors and in parallel address the roots of VAWG including the unchecked actions and behaviors of perpetrators that are often overlooked and even condoned in society.
“Prevention is cheaper than cure. But more importantly, prevention benefits the economy and society as a whole. Everyone has a role to play.”
“When we talk about addressing violence against women and girls, we have to take a holistic approach that includes all sectors—some of which people might not immediately consider,” said Dr. Frame. “Take the transportation sector, for example. In countries like Grenada, where tourism plays such a major role in the economy, many women working in hospitality must travel long distances from rural areas to tourist hubs. Public transport is often unreliable or unavailable at night, and most employers don’t provide transportation. That leaves women vulnerable, especially late at night, and creates opportunities for exploitation or abuse. These are the kinds of structural issues we need to address if we’re serious about prevention.”
Beyond the labor force, Dr. Frame added that transportation can also be an issue for women going to and from recreational activities such as parties and fetes. In both cases, men can take advantage of vulnerable women in need of transportation, often expecting transactional sexual favors in exchange for a ride home.
To underscore the urgency of addressing violence against women and girls (VAWG), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) highlights its connection to broader violent crime and citizen insecurity. In small-island developing states (SIDS), rising crime rates can have far-reaching consequences—placing countries on international watch lists or triggering travel advisories that deter tourists. For Caribbean nations like Grenada, where tourism accounts for over 40% of GDP, a decline in visitor numbers could be economically devastating. This reinforces Dr. Frame’s view that VAWG is not merely a private or household issue—it is a societal crisis with cascading effects that demand the attention of high-level decision-makers across sectors.
Fragmented Systems and Outdated Laws Are Impeding Regional Solutions
What can’t go unnoticed is that Caribbean governments have taken important steps to combat violence against women and girls, implementing initiatives like specialized policing units, state-supported shelters, call centers, and integrating sexual education into school curricula. These efforts reflect a growing recognition of the issue and a commitment to support survivors. However, the picture is far from complete. Many countries still operate under outdated legal frameworks that fail to fully protect survivors—such as limited definitions of rape—and a lack of centralized, coordinated services, forcing survivors to repeatedly recount their trauma to multiple agencies. The absence of dedicated ministries or leadership focused solely on gender issues further weakens the region’s ability to mount a cohesive and effective response.
At Unite Caribbean, our extensive fieldwork conducted by our in-house consultants across the region highlights these gaps and the challenges they pose. By engaging survivors, government officials, academics, faith leaders, and NGOs, we gain a nuanced understanding of the systemic barriers that persist. Many government representatives openly acknowledge severe shortages of financial and human resources, which hinder the planning and execution of comprehensive VAWG interventions. This fragmented and under-resourced landscape underscores the urgent need for more integrated, well-funded approaches—ones that center survivor experiences and leverage the full spectrum of regional expertise to create lasting change.
“Too often, the people with the deepest understanding of the issues—survivors, grassroots advocates, frontline service providers—are not the ones sitting at the table when technical committees are formed to address VAWG,” said Dr. Frame. “When the wrong voices are centered and resources are misallocated, even the best-intentioned plans can stall or fall apart entirely. Without proper coordination, sufficient funding, and the right personnel, many NGOs also struggle to implement their work effectively. These systemic gaps are a major barrier to progress.”
Without Data, There Is No Justice
Addressing VAWG in the Caribbean must begin with one fundamental tool: data. Yet across the region, a full picture of the crisis remains out of reach. Despite efforts by governments, NGOs, and researchers, the lack of nationally owned, systematic data collection severely limits the region’s ability to respond. Without consistent and comparable information—across types of violence, age groups, and definitions—solutions risk being misaligned or ineffective. A program may be well-funded and well-intentioned, but without an accurate understanding of local realities, it may miss the mark entirely. In this sense, data isn’t just about numbers—it’s about giving voice to survivors whose stories are too often hidden or unheard, and ensuring that any solution meets people where they actually are.
But numbers alone can’t capture the deep cultural undercurrents that influence how VAWG is reported—or more often, not reported. The Caribbean’s sociocultural fabric, shaped by colonial histories and entrenched patriarchy, continues to normalize male dominance and silence survivors. Shame, fear of retaliation, and mistrust in institutions prevent many women from coming forward, especially in small, close-knit communities where privacy is limited and reputations carry weight. The low conviction rates and slow judicial processes only reinforce a cycle of silence. Any data-driven strategy, therefore, must be culturally attuned and context-specific. This is where Unite Caribbean’s approach stands apart. We recognize that meaningful engagement must go beyond statistics. It must also interrogate the social dynamics, institutional gaps, and lived experiences that define how violence is understood and addressed across the region.
By Centering Local Voices and Evidence, Our Agency can Work to Strengthening National and Regional Responses to VAWG
By centering local voices and grounding our work in evidence, Unite Caribbean has become better positioned to support more effective, responsive strategies to address violence against women and girls (VAWG) across the Caribbean. Survivors, frontline workers, community leaders, and service providers all offer vital insight into the day-to-day realities that national statistics alone can’t capture. Their perspectives help reveal not just where gaps exist, but why they persist—and what solutions might actually work in specific contexts. By pairing this local knowledge with rigorous data collection and analysis, we will continue to help shape policies and programs that are rooted in lived experience, that are culturally relevant and better equipped to create lasting impact at both the national and regional levels — while also weaving gender equity into cross-sectoral areas that are relevant to the Caribbean region like climate resilience and waste management.
Research and analysis by Unite Caribbean Consulting’s Economic and Social Development (ESD) Department (Zainab Adebayo and Somalia Dahlia)
