UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 97) [The Equal Pay Act 2012] defines equal pay as a rate or scale of remuneration for work in which there is no element of differentiation between male and female employees.

Para 98) It ensures equal pay for men and women in the workplace and makes it an offence for an employer or his or her agent not to comply with the law.

Para 99) Moreover, the Act makes a provision for the removal and prevention of discrimination based on the gender of the employee in paid employment, and to provide for related or incidental matters.

Para 100) It empowers a court to order the payment of arrears of remuneration against an employer who is convicted of such an offence.

UN Compilation:
Para 14) The subregional team stated that the Government was currently undertaking initiatives to open the way for encouraging more women into entrepreneurship through programmes supported by multilateral partners, such as the Economic Partnership Agreement. The People's Employment Programme, a poverty reduction programme, had also opened some space for entrepreneurship and asset-building among men and women.

National Report:
Para 92) The Domestic Violence Act 2014 enabled the Government through the Department of Gender Affairs to heighten awareness relating to teenage pregnancy, sexual education and violence against women and children.

Para 93) This legislation against child abuse, domestic violence classifies sexual violence, rape and incest as serious offences and establish appropriate penalties for the perpetrators, including relatives of the victim.

Para 94) The Domestic Violence Act 2014 further enabled the Government to adopt policies and legislation to combat discrimination and violence against women and children, particularly domestic and sexual violence.

UN Compilation:
Para 20) The subregional team noted that the Government was currently debating an amended Domestic Violence Bill 2014, which had had a second reading before Parliament, but that its adoption was still pending.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 28) JS2 stated that in August 2014 the government had sought to amend the Domestic Act now retitled "The Domestic Violence Bill" (2014) which was still in draft form, and mentioned that one of the key provisions of this bill was the promotion of economic independence for victims in abusive relationships.

National Report:
Para 11) … The National CEDAW Report was submitted in 2020 and contains an extensive description of the programmes and initiatives that the government has undertaken in fulfillment of the provisions contained in CEDAW.
Para 17) In an effort to fulfill our international obligations, Saint Kitts and Nevis received support from UNWOMEN during the preparation of its report on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). These reports were then approved by the government in 2019 and submitted in January and February 2020, respectively.

UN Compilation:
Para 8) Although the Government did not support universal periodic review recommendations associated with LGBTQI rights, Saint Kitts and Nevis has shown some openness to dialogue on the issue.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 9) JAI reiterated that international human rights law customarily protected the right to privacy and the right to be protected against arbitrary and unlawful attacks on or interference with one’s private and family life. One’s reputation or dignity are also protected. International human rights law further establishes that matters of sexual orientation and gender identity are protected by the right to privacy and the right to be protected against arbitrary and unlawful interference with, or attacks on, one’s private and family life and one’s reputation or dignity. By criminalizing same-sex activity in the penal code, Saint Kitts and Nevis violates these international obligations. Saint Kitts and Nevis are also members states to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), which strives to increase human rights protections in the region.

National Report:
Para 97) [The Equal Pay Act 2012] defines equal pay as a rate or scale of remuneration for work in which there is no element of differentiation between male and female employees.

Para 98) It ensures equal pay for men and women in the workplace and makes it an offence for an employer or his or her agent not to comply with the law.

Para 99) Moreover, the Act makes a provision for the removal and prevention of discrimination based on the gender of the employee in paid employment, and to provide for related or incidental matters.

Para 100) It empowers a court to order the payment of arrears of remuneration against an employer who is convicted of such an offence.

UN Compilation:
Para 14) The subregional team stated that the Government was currently undertaking initiatives to open the way for encouraging more women into entrepreneurship through programmes supported by multilateral partners, such as the Economic Partnership Agreement. The People's Employment Programme, a poverty reduction programme, had also opened some space for entrepreneurship and asset-building among men and women.

Para 30) The subregional team indicated that, although women participated fully in voting during elections and were very active in political parties, they were still severely underrepresented in political leadership positions, and there was only one woman in Parliament. It also stated that women comprised the majority of civil servants and held senior level roles within Government

Para 39) The subregional team noted that Saint Kitts and Nevis was currently subject to a standby agreement with the International Monetary Fund that left very little space for measures to address the harsh conditions facing the majority of the population, in particular women and children.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 6) JS2 recognized the efforts of Saint Kitts and Nevis in signing and committing to the following Conventions and international instruments: The Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women; The Inter- American Convention on the Granting of Civil Rights to Women and the Inter-American Convention on the Granting of Political Rights to Women; The Beijing Platform for Action; The United Nations Millennium Declaration; and Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security.

Para 28) JS2 also reported that Saint Kitts and Nevis had made remarkable strides in empowering women through awareness campaigns, programs and policy development, a work executed largely by the Department of Gender Affairs which included training for police, nurses and counselors.

UN Compilation:
Para 1) The United Nations subregional team for Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) noted that, during the 2011 universal periodic review of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the country received numerous recommendations to ratify or accede to various international human rights treaties and that, although Saint Kitts and Nevis accepted some of those recommendations, it had not ratified any additional core United Nations international human rights treaties.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 2) AI stated that in its first review, Saint Kitts and Nevis had not expressed a clear position on recommendations to consider signing and ratifying a number of core international human rights standards, including ICESCR ... AI asserted that the government had taken no action in this respect, and that the ratification of these treaties was still outstanding.