Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda is located in the eastern Caribbean. Most of the population resides on Antigua. Over 90 percent of the population are black, the predominant culture is Creole, and Christianity is the predominant religion. Both cultural tradition and modern economic circumstances leave many women socioeconomically dependent on men. The increased public and political roles of women were exemplified in the 2007 election of the nation's first female head of state; however, problems such as violence against women and sex trafficking are common.

Marriages are both legal and common law. Another common form is the visiting union, in which an exclusive couple live separately. The 2004 fertility rate was 2.27 births per woman. The infant mortality rate is 16.25 per 1,000 live births. Many children are ...