UN Women Multi-Country Office (MCO) – Caribbean Wrap up March 24-28

Advancing Women, Peace, and Security in the Caribbean: High-Level Experts Meeting in Guyana.

On March 26-28, 2025, UN Women, in partnership with the British High Commission and key regional stakeholders, will convene a High-Level Experts Meeting on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) in the Caribbean. This gathering aims to advance the development and implementation of Regional and National Action Plans (NAPs) on WPS, transforming commitments into concrete action.

The event will bring together decision-makers, policymakers, and experts to explore opportunities for regional collaboration, identify funding mechanisms, and strengthen the role of civil society and government in advancing WPS priorities. With a dynamic mix of panel discussions, fireside chats, and interactive sessions, participants will engage in critical dialogue on how to drive sustainable change in the region.

A key outcome of the meeting is exploring the viability of a regional WPS envoy to enhance advocacy and implementation efforts across CARICOM. Bilateral discussions will also help to identify challenges and opportunities for NAP implementation.

This meeting is part of a broader programme to enhance regional security frameworks and ensure that women’s voices are central to peacebuilding efforts across the Caribbean.

Trinidad and Tobago to Launch Historic Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan

Trinidad and Tobago is set to make history as the first country in the Caribbean to develop and adopt a National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). The official launch will take place on March 26, 2025, at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, marking a significant step toward promoting gender-inclusive peacebuilding and security.

Developed through an extensive consultative process involving government agencies, civil society, and international partners, the WPS NAP will focus on addressing gun and gang violence—a key challenge to peace, justice, safety, and security in the country.

This initiative, led by the Office of the Prime Minister (Gender and Child Affairs), UN Women MCO - Caribbean, and the Government of Canada, aligns with global efforts to recognise the critical role of women in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. With over 110 countries worldwide having implemented similar plans, this milestone underscores Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to advancing women’s leadership in security, governance, and social cohesion.

Strengthening Women’s Leadership in Security: Our Secure Future and UN Women Host Workshop in Trinidad and Tobago.

UN Women, in collaboration with key stakeholders, will convene a two-day workshop on March 24-25, 2025, at Hilton Trinidad to translate the National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) into concrete implementation steps.

This workshop will bring together government agencies, civil society, and international partners to refine the operational framework, establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and strengthen coordination for effective NAP execution. Participants will also develop a six-month roadmap, ensuring collective action towards a more secure and inclusive Trinidad and Tobago.

UNITED NATIONS – PRIVATE SECTOR OPEN HOUSE

On Monday March 24th, The United Nations is hosting a dialogue: “SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals: A Focus on St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Private Sector Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals”. The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean is coordinating the initiative with participating agencies: UN Women through its Global Affairs Canada-funded Build Back Equal Project,  UN Global Compact Network Caribbean, World Food Programme, UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and UNFPA.

CARIBBEAN ACADEMIC FORUM: Advancing Towards Care Societies 25th -26th March 2025

The Caribbean Academic Forum, “Contributions to the XVI Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean: Advancing Towards Care Societies”, will be held in Barbados, on 25th and 26th of March 2025.

The Forum is organised by UN ECLAC, The Consortium Universities Caribbean, the Institute for Gender and Development Studies: Nita Barrow Unit of the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, UN Women and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), in collaboration with El Colegio de Mexico (COLMEX), the Global Alliance for Care and the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD). It will be live streamed at: https://live.cepal.org/caribbeanforum.

Caribbean preparatory meeting of the XVI session of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean (hybrid format)

On March 27, UNECLAC and UN Women will host this preparatory meeting in Barbados and virtually, as part of the road map for the preparatory process of the XVI Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, which will be held in Mexico City from 12 to 15 August 2025. 

Young Women in Leadership Network Beijing+30 Webinar

On March 25th, 2025, UN Women will in observance of Beijing+30, join ParlAmericas and the Caribbean Institute for Women in Leadership (CWIL) – the coordinators of the Young Women in Leadership Programme - to host a webinar on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.  YWiL is a series of national-level initiatives to foster young women’s interest in politics and public leadership in five Caribbean countries: Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Jamaica and Grenada.

PhotoVoice Workshop & Exhibition: Amplifying Women's Voices for Change

In celebration of International Women’s Day 2025 and the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Resident Coordinator’s Office in partnership with UN Women MCO - Caribbean, UNHCR, the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, and in collaboration with the United Nations Communications Group (UNCG), are launching a PhotoVoice Workshop and Exhibition in Trinidad and Tobago.

This initiative will empower eight women and girls from diverse backgrounds to share their personal stories through photography and oral storytelling, offering a powerful platform for advocacy and awareness. Participants recently participated in a virtual storytelling workshop, guiding on how to capture compelling narratives that reflect their lived experiences. Their stories, paired with impactful images, will be showcased in an interactive public exhibition, allowing visitors to listen to the participants’ voices through audio recordings and engage in dialogue on gender equality.

Exhibition Details:

East Gates Mall, Trincity: 8:00AM to 4:00PM on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 March, 2025- This activity is open to the public.

Main Library, University of the West Indies: Available for the period Thursday 3 to Friday 4 April, 2025- This activity is open to UWI students, staff and other users of the library.