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St. Kitts and Nevis Minister Dr. Joyelle Clarke delivers powerful CARICOM statement, warning of regression in women’s rights 30 years after Beijing Declaration.

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Basseterre, St. Kitts – September 23, 2025 (SKN Times) —

The 13th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women was marked in New York on September 22, 2025, with a high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) under the theme: “Recommitting to, resourcing and accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.”

Delivering remarks on behalf of CARICOM, Hon. Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action, and Constituency Empowerment of St. Kitts and Nevis, issued a sobering warning: after three decades of promises, progress has faltered, and women’s rights remain underserved.

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Regression Despite Bold Promises

Dr. Clarke recalled the optimism of the 1995 Beijing Declaration, where world leaders pledged that women’s rights would be inviolate and their contributions fully valued. But 30 years later, she argued, “clear signs of regression” have emerged:

• Promises reneged,
• Actions unfulfilled, and
• The spirit of the Declaration diminished.

“Despite their indispensable roles, women and girls continue to face unequal burdens, limited opportunities, and persistent threats to their safety and autonomy,” Clarke told the UNGA.

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Stark Statistics Reveal the Global Picture

The Minister punctuated her address with chilling figures that underscore the unfinished agenda:

• By 2030, 8.1% of women and girls will live in extreme poverty.
• Only 28% of Ministers of Environment globally are women.
• Women occupy just 26.9% of parliamentary seats worldwide.
• Women perform 2.5 times more unpaid care work than men.
• Women still earn 20% less than men for equal work.
• Overall, women enjoy only 64% of the legal rights afforded to men.

“These are sobering realities,” Clarke declared.

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CARICOM’s Regional Commitments

Despite the challenges, Clarke highlighted the strides made within the Caribbean:

• Three democratically elected female Heads of Government currently serve in CARICOM, a testament to regional progress.
• St. Kitts and Nevis, in co-leadership with Ireland, facilitated the passage of a UN resolution on revitalising the Commission on the Status of Women, reinforcing the region’s global leadership.
• CARICOM governments are committed to reviewing outdated discriminatory laws and advancing gender-responsive policies and legislation.

“Equality has to be budgeted and planned for,” Clarke stressed, especially in small island developing states (SIDS) with limited fiscal space.

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Financing and Climate Action for Women

Dr. Clarke pressed the international community to:

• Expand gender-sensitive financing mechanisms,
• Support gender-responsive climate action, and
• Recognise the leadership of women in addressing the climate crisis.

“CARICOM recommits its policy towards gender empowerment,” she affirmed. “Another thirty years should not greet us speaking of potential and possibilities — let us make good on our shared ambition to leave no one behind.”

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SKN Times Analysis:
Clarke’s intervention at the UNGA strikes at the heart of a global contradiction — celebratory rhetoric without commensurate delivery. By anchoring CARICOM’s voice in hard data and regional realities, St. Kitts and Nevis has elevated the urgency of turning words into action. The Beijing promise remains unfinished business, and with just five years left in the SDG timeline, the stakes could not be higher.

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