Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has unveiled a new reparations manifesto on behalf of Caribbean leaders, reinforcing their call for justice over the enduring harms caused by centuries of enslavement. The announcement came during a conference in Ghana aimed at advancing demands for reparatory justice, following the United Nations' recent resolution recognizing the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans as one of the gravest crimes against humanity.

The updated manifesto revises the Caribbean Community’s (Caricom) existing 10-point reparations plan, incorporating fresh concerns including the specific impact of slavery on women and girls. A notable addition to the document is a call for compensation addressing gender-based violence, a condition supported by data indicating that women made up approximately 30% of the estimated 20 million Africans forcibly transported across the Atlantic.

Mottley emphasized the importance of this inclusion, stating that compensation for gender-based violence and the broader assault on family structures should be viewed on par with reparations awarded to other groups, such as Japanese victims of wartime atrocities.

The document further establishes a link between climate justice and the legacy of slavery, describing them as “inextricably linked.” It outlines Caricom’s demand for monetary reparations from a wide range of responsible parties, including former colonial powers, monarchies, religious institutions, corporations, and families. The compensation sought is intended to cover losses tied to life, labor, liberty, personal injury, mental suffering, and gender-based violence associated with Indigenous genocide, the transatlantic slave trade, and chattel slavery.

While the manifesto sets forth these demands, it does not specify an exact financial figure. The initiative reflects renewed regional efforts to hold accountable those deemed responsible for historic injustices and to seek redress for their lasting impacts on Caribbean societies.