Carina Cockburn: Driving Economic Growth and Gender Equality in Barbados

In commemoration of International Women’s Day, Barbados TODAY highlighted women working in various fields – from health to telecoms, from development to politics – as they share their sources of success and triumph over challenges they have encountered. Below is an interview with Carina Cockburn, IDB Barbados Representative, about her journey.

“I think you can have it all. You can have a healthy, successful family life and you can make your mark in a professional field as well. And I think its up to us who are already in the workforce to make that environment welcoming and appealing for women who want to make that choice.”

You know, there has been a lot of research done and the results have clearly shown there’s evidence that diverse organizations are more profitable over time. And so for leaders in private sector entities or in the public sector you really want to attract women, you want to attract young people, who want to have people with experience, and you want to have people from different walks of life. Because those diverse thoughts, views, impressions and experiences create that value which your audience, your customers, your clients – will appreciate and connect with. So it makes perfect sense to have more women in the workplace.

You know, also, women are the ones who are making purchasing decisions in most households. They’re the ones deciding you know what we’re going to eat, what cleaning supplies we use. They’re the ones decorating the household. They’re guiding the children in the household on their purchasing decisions and their partner as well. So it makes sense to have your decision-making reflect the diversity in your customer base because that’s how you’re going to connect and be successful.

This article appeared in the March 8 International Women’s Day Magazine by Barbados Today. View the magazine here.