Project
Joint SDG Fund: Building Back Equal through Innovative Financing for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment
Brief Description
Despite The Bahamas’ relatively high GDP per capita levels, women and youth continue to be disproportionally left behind. A 2015 study noted that in the Caribbean women entrepreneurs account for only 8% of the entire labor force with only 1% of those women entrepreneurs having employees. Recognizing that financial inclusion is a precursor for women’s economic empowerment through entrepreneurship, this project is intended to pilot innovative financing for gender equality. It will enable The Bahamas to not only build back equal post COVID-19 but to also be best practice examples to showcase how innovative financing vehicles, digital platforms, and the tools and frameworks of the Women’s Empowerment Principles can be leveraged to close the financing gaps that women and youth face in sectors such as agriculture, sustainable tourism, and creative and cultural industries.
Approach
UN agencies, including UN Women, UNDP, UNESCO, FAO and the UN Joint SDG Fund came together to partner with the Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) to make innovative financing available to people in The Bahamas.
The programme is designed to empower women, youth, and people living with disabilities and the objective of the joint programme is to pilot innovative financing tools for gender equality to enable female entrepreneurs in The Bahamas to access additional capital, reduce risks and accelerate SDG achievement. A mix of interrelated solutions is proposed to target the structural causes hindering public and private investments towards women and young entrepreneurs.
Bridging the Gender Gap: Unleashing Creativity in the Caribbean through EU-LAC Strategic Alliances
Youth As Researchers In The Bahamas
Background
The Youth As Researchers (YAR) initiative connects and engages young people to conduct their own research. This new research initiative with the project on Building Back Equal Through Innovative Financing for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment focuses on advancing knowledge generation on women and youth-led entrepreneurship in The Bahamas.
The Youth as Researchers (YAR) initiative connects and engages young people to conduct their own research on the environment of entrepreneurship - the barriers, the opportunities and the needs of youth, particularly young women, to develop and sustain Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in The Bahamas. UNESCO and the UNESCO Chairs at the National University of Ireland Galway and The Pennsylvania State University led a consortium of youth-led or youth-related actors to support the research process through training, mentoring and coordination.
Research Teams
Young people aged 18-35 formed research teams to investigate various questions. These teams are youth-led, with young researchers collaborating in designing, conducting, and analyzing research about their peers. Each team undergoes training and is supported by a coordinator throughout the process. They develop research questions, methodologies, and data collection instruments, gather and analyze primary data directly from individuals, and communicate their findings. Through this process, young researchers also strengthen critical thinking, teamwork and collaborative skills. Mentors provide technical guidance and advice to each group, ensuring a structured and supportive research experience.
Themes
- Exploring the experiences of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and/or private sector to advance and sustain women and youth-led entrepreneurship.
- Exploring government programmes on gender equality and women empowerment and highlights best practices and recommendations for developing MSMEs and advancing women-led entrepreneurship.
- Exploring the views of young people on barriers and opportunities for women-led and youth-led entrepreneurship.
The Caribbean Sheroes Academy
Background
Violence against Women and Girls in The Bahamas and the Caribbean region is extensive and affects a significant percentage of women and girls. For example, nearly 40% of women across the Caribbean experience violence at the hands of their partners (UN Women, 2019). Power dynamics and these other variables need to be addressed in different solutions to eradicate violence against women and girls.
To address these power structures and accompanying intersecting variables, in 2021 UNESCO together with the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, Regional Coordinating Office (IGDS-RCO) at the University of the West Indies (UWI), launched the Caribbean Sheroes Initiative.This Initiative aims to develop capacity, produce knowledge, and enhance the skills of young people to promote gender equality within the Caribbean sub-region.
The UNESCO Caribbean Sheroes Academy for Gender Equality, Advocacy and Development provides young people working in human rights and social justice advocacy the opportunity to enhance their capacities and to network with other young advocates from youth-led organizations in the Caribbean. Specifically, the Academies focus on providing knowledge about gender, gender mainstreaming, and strategies for youth-led activism to ground youth participants in both the scholarship and practicum of advocacy. As part of this initiative, UNESCO and IGDS-RCO also developed Regional Trainings and a Training Manual comprising of seven modules. Overall, the Caribbean Sheroes Initiative has been able to enhance the capacities of almost 200 youth in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.
Within the framework of the Joint SDG Fund Project ‘Building Back Equal through Innovative Financing for Women’s Empowerment’, the methodology was employed to advance the work of the Division of Youth within the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, while ensuring sustainability of the Project’s actions.
Youth Leadership Certification Programme
Within the framework of the Youth Leadership Certification Programme led by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture in The Bahamas, a two-day (2) interactive and face-to-face Sheroes Academy on Gender Equality, Advocacy and Development in The Bahamas was conducted to enhance capacities of 102 youth leaders from more than 50 youth organizations in The Bahamas.
The Caribbean Sheroes Academy is dedicated to fostering critical reflection and actionable steps toward dismantling harmful societal norms and promoting gender equity. It equips participants with essential tools and skills, specifically trained to design and implement projects with a focus on gender considerations and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It provided a dynamic platform for youth advocates to define and develop advocacy campaigns that aligned with their passions and addressed pressing community needs, driving significant societal transformation. Through this initiative, emerging leaders were empowered to create impactful advocacy actions that contribute to reshaping societal norms and fostering more equitable roles between men and women.
Training of Trainers
UNESCO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture in the Bahamas and IDGS-RCO organized a two-day interactive Training of Trainers (ToT) Workshop on Gender Equality, Advocacy, and Development. This workshop was tailored for government representatives and youth practitioners under the Caribbean Sheroes Initiative framework. Seventeen participants, including Youth Officers and facilitators of the Youth Leadership Programme, were equipped with the tools and knowledge to advance principles of gender equality within national youth programs.
The objective was to ensure the sustainable replication of the Sheroes Academy methodology in the Bahamas, thereby advancing the Division of Youth's efforts within the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. The training enhanced facilitators' capacities to effectively deliver the Sheroes curriculum in future editions.
The ToT engages participants in critical discussions from case studies to deepen their understanding and application of concepts related to gender equality, development, and advocacy. It equips participants with comprehensive knowledge and practical tools to lead training sessions on gender equality for youth. Skills are strengthened to effectively integrate gender issues and perspectives into youth-centered projects and programs. Additionally, participants receive valuable mentorship, guidance, and coaching to enhance their pedagogical skills and delivery, ensuring impactful and inclusive educational experiences.
Sheroes News Articles
Artist Registry as part of the Orange Economy ecosystem of The Bahamas
Background
According to UNESCO’s third edition of the Global Report – Reshaping Policies for Creativity, culture and creativity represent 3.1% of global GDP and 6.2% of all employment. In the recent years, The Bahamas has undertaken initiatives to situate the creative economy (also known as the orange economy) as a strategic pillar for the national sustainable development.
Globally, the creative industry in most developing countries operates with many creators conducting business in an eco-system with high fragmentation and competition. Currently, several entities from public and private sectors of The Bahamas are dealing with the development of the cultural and creative industries, but their efforts will need to be streamlined for effective and efficient delivering service and guidance to the local cultural and creative industries. The coming together of the private and public sectors facilitates the collaboration of the agents of the Orange Economy with other economic sectors of The Bahamas, their activities, and the technological capacities, as well as the opportunities offered by the market.
There was an acute need to map and collect existing information on cultural and creative industries to better understand the development of the orange economy and streamline the Government’s approach to the development of the economy. In the long run, it will bring together all agencies and actors to produce legislation, guidelines, and create a pool of funding for cultural and creative industries in a more efficient and targeted way.
The Artist Registry of The Bahamas contributes to the CARICOM’s initiative on Regional Registry of Artists and Cultural Workers which would facilitate access to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU).
The Artist Registry of The Bahamas to be hosted by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and serves as a significant resource critical to the operations of the Ministry on a whole, for data collection, research and legislation purposes, support mechanisms for creative and cultural practitioners, as well as benefit the wider public in accessing information through the database and associated website.
Scope
The Artist Registry of The Bahamas forms a centralized database that catalogs and showcases information about women and youth artists and their works. The database includes the following:
- Artist Information
- Portfolio of Works
- Artistic Disciplines
- Geographic Scope
- Search and Filtering Features
- Emerging and Established Artists
- Community Engagement
- Curation and Quality Control
- Documentation of Artistic Evolution
- Accessibility and Inclusivity
- Legal and Copyright Information
Objectives
This Artist Registry initiative’s main objective is to contribute to women’s empowerment in the cultural and creative industries. The Artist Registry aims to support these overarching goals by fostering inclusivity, providing equal opportunities for women and youth, and promoting diversity and visibility within the creative economy of The Bahamas.
The Artist Registry initiative places a strong emphasis on inclusivity, ensuring that the registry reflects the diversity of The Bahamas' cultural and creative landscape. Special attention will be given to youth representation, aligning with the broader project goals for inclusiveness and empowerment.
2024 Creative Entrepreneurs Initiative
Introduction
UNESCO in collaboration with The Small Business Development Centre (SBDC), The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture in The Bahamas and the Bahamas Baptist Union of Churches launched the Creative Entrepreneurs Initiative
This transformative program is designed to elevate entrepreneurs in the creative and cultural sectors. This initiative is dedicated to introducing business development methodologies and providing early-stage financing to support gender equality, foster the growth of businesses, and accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through targeted interventions, the aim is to enhance the technical capacities, confidence, business skills, and financial knowledge of entrepreneurs. Underpinning this initiative is the commitment to creating an enabling environment where women, persons with disabilities, and youth-led businesses can thrive, accessing new-class financial services, mentors, and partners for market expansion.
Objectives
The Creative Entrepreneurs Initiative is driven by a series of interconnected objectives designed to create a robust platform for entrepreneurial success in the creative and cultural sectors. The aim of the initiative is to expose entrepreneurs to advanced business development methodologies and provide them with the necessary early-stage financing to support gender equality and business growth, thereby reducing risks and accelerating the achievement of SDGs.
By enhancing the technical capacities, business skills, and financial knowledge of entrepreneurs, UNESCO strives to create an environment that nurtures growth and innovation.
The focus extends to high-growth industries such as agriculture, tourism, and cultural & creative industries, with a special emphasis on supporting women and youth-led ventures in The Bahamas. Through innovative funding solutions, mentorship, and technical assistance, UNESCO is committed to advancing business ventures and preparing them for subsequent financing opportunities, all while advocating for gender inclusivity and economic empowerment.
