In 2021, Barbados removed Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State, transitioning to a republic after gaining independence from Great Britain in 1966—an important step in confronting its colonial past as England’s first ‘slave society.’ In response to its collective trauma of enslavement, Barbados recognizes freedom and equality as the ‘most fundamental features’ of its national identity. Barbados plays a leading role in the movement for reparatory justice for slavery through CARICOM’s Reparations Commission. 

The population is predominantly Black (92 per cent) or mixed (3 per cent), with a small minority of White, South Asian, East Asian and Middle Eastern (5 per cent) groups; it is largely Christian. Demographic homogeneity paired with firm government commitment to human rights, justice, and progressive social policy have minimized ethnic cleavages in the country.  

Women in Barbados have seen improvements in anti-discrimination policies and protections against gender-based violence, but they continue to face challenges related to economic equality, leadership positions in politics and business, and high-rates of gender-based violence and adolescent birth-rates. In 2022, the Barbados High-Court de-criminalized homosexuality, though no legal protections have yet been established for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Barbados holds regular elections, and the main parties—the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and the Democratic Labour Party (DLP)—are both center-left social democratic parties. Politics are driven by discussions over how to shed colonial ties, reassert Barbadian black identity and sovereignty, and the movement for reparations. Barbados is currently reviewing its constitution. After two years, the Constitutional Reform Commission (CMC) delivered both its final report and a draft bill of reforms in 2024. The report has faced criticism for lacking innovative and substantive proposals to move past a colonial system. The bill is currently under review and will later be presented to Parliament. 

Poverty and inequality levels are significantly lower than the regional average, with the most recent available data showing that 17.2 per cent of the population lives in poverty. Women, girls, and those in female-headed households are disproportionally affected. Despite the severe impact of the pandemic on Barbados’s tourism-dependent economy, the country has recovered quickly and unemployment rates have decreased. The government has invested in social policies to support vulnerable groups and is working on diversifying the economy.

Barbados is highly vulnerable to natural disasters and climate change, especially affecting low-income sectors and women. It has become a voice against climate insecurity through demands for reform of the Global Financing Architecture. It recently achieved the world’s first ‘debt-for-climate resilience swap’ by negotiating the replacement of part of its debt with lower-cost financing alternatives.

Looking ahead, it will be important to watch how constitutional reforms could impact any of the GSoD metrics. Efforts to build climate-resilient infrastructure and reduce reliance on tourism may impact Basic Welfare, Economic Equality and Gender Equality. 

Last Updated: June 2025