Trinidad and Tobago becomes first Caribbean nation to launch a National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security.

Trinidad and Tobago has made history as the first Caribbean nation to officially launch a National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), with a focus on tackling gun and gang-related violence. This milestone underscores the country’s commitment to fostering safer communities and enhancing national security through inclusive and sustainable peacebuilding efforts.

Trinidad and Tobago experiences violent crime, particularly homicides, driven by gun-related and gang-related violence. This affects all aspects of daily life, including social stability, which disproportionately impacts vulnerable groups, including women and youth.

Despite their resilience and leadership in communities, women have been largely excluded from decision-making processes related to crime prevention and security. The WPS Agenda ensures that their perspectives, skills, and experiences are fully integrated into peacebuilding strategies—evidence shows that including women leads to more effective and sustainable peace.

A National Plan for a National Solution

The WPS NAP (2025–2030) was launched on 26 March, 2025 at a high-level event hosted by the Office of the Prime Minister – Gender and Child Affairs (OPM-GCA), in partnership with UN Women and the Government of Canada. The Plan provides a strategic framework to address the impact of armed violence, organised crime, and Gender-based Violence, recognising that peace and security strategies must reflect the lived realities of all citizens.

This launch follows two years of extensive groundwork led by UN Women, Our Secure Future, the Government of Canada, the Office of the Prime Minister - Gender and Child Affairs, Ministry of National Security, the WPS Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group; with critical inputs from civil society. Through a series of workshops, academies, and consultations, these partners played a pivotal role in the process, engaging in dialogues and supporting the creation of the NAP to ensure the WPS NAP incorporates comprehensive solutions. Importantly, the Plan recognises that communities are key actors in implementing these solutions, ensuring a sustainable approach to peace and security.

The WPS NAP aligns with international commitments such as UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and is built on a framework that integrates peace, security, and violence prevention into national development strategies.

The event featured remarks from Ms. Joanna Kazana, UN Resident Coordinator, who pledged the full support and capacity of the UN System and called on national and international donors to fund violence prevention in Trinidad and Tobago. “The United Nations recognises Trinidad and Tobago’s efforts in leading the way in advancing the WPS Agenda locally and regionally. As the UN System promotes a new vision of prevention emphasizing development and prevention in an early stage, rather than intervention when it is already too late, there is emphasis on women’s full participation as agents of peace and justice. The WPS NAP is a game-changing opportunity, putting women at the centre of the security strategy. The UN System supports the inclusion of women and giving them the voice and leading in building more cohesive societies and moving from non-peace to positive peace.”

His Excellency Michael Callan, Canadian High Commissioner, highlighted Canada’s investment in sustainable peacebuilding. “Women, Peace and Security is so central to what Canada stands for and the defining feature of the partnership with Trinidad and Tobago, one of mutual respect and mutual support. The WPS means exploring more points of view to make better choices and to make better policy. We know that when women and girls participate in the solutions to violence, the solutions are more durable, inclusive and longer lasting.” He praised Trinidad and Tobago’s impressive achievement and shared his expectations on continuing to walk the journey of developing countries that are more inclusive, with more effective security.

As she addressed the assembly, the Honourable Ayanna Webster-Roy, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Central Administrative Services Tobago, Gender and Child Affairs, and the National AIDS Coordinating Committee issued a call to action to all ministries, organisations and citizens, “to work together to create a Trinidad and Tobago where peace, inclusion and resilience are not aspirations, but realities. Our Government has embraced the strategy of treating crime and violence as public health issues, a perspective that demands intentional informed, and compassionate interventions. Our approach is multi-faceted. Through the various Ministries’ training and other initiatives, we intend to equip our young people with sustainable means of livelihoods, and empower them to reject the lure of crime and embrace the dignity of honest work.”

In her closing remarks, Ms. Je’nille Maraj, UN Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean Planning and Coordination Specialist, congratulated all stakeholders on their invaluable work on the WPS NAP. She also expressed her hope that other countries will join in advancing the WPS Agenda. The strength of the WPS Agenda as compared to traditional approaches is that by integrating a gender perspective into all aspects of peace and security, this contributes to a more just, equitable and sustainable peace.

Key Objectives of the WPS NAP

Ms. Shelley-Ann Hart, Director Gender Affairs, OPM-GCA led the presentation on the Overview of the WPS NAP, which focuses on:

• Enhancing safety and security by preventing and responding to gun and gang violence.
• Developing effective violence prevention and response strategies that integrate gender-sensitive and evidence-based approaches.
• Increasing women's leadership and participation in crime prevention, peacebuilding, and security efforts.

To achieve these goals, the WPS NAP outlines a coordinated framework of activities across government, law enforcement, civil society, and international partners. The plan also identifies five integrated priorities, addressing the root causes of violence while recognising that gender norms and inequalities shape how violence is experienced and perpetrated.

Next Steps: Turning Policy into Action

Now that the WPS NAP has been launched, the next phase will focus on:

• Establishing clear roles, responsibilities, and timelines for implementation.
• Developing a monitoring and evaluation system to ensure measurable impact.
• Engaging communities, policymakers, and law enforcement in training and capacity-building.

A Model for the Region

Trinidad and Tobago’s WPS NAP sets a precedent for the Caribbean, demonstrating how the WPS Agenda can be applied to citizen security. By adopting gender-transformative approaches and public health strategies, the plan moves beyond traditional security measures, offering a long-term prevention-focused solution to gun and gang violence.

The WPS approach ensures that women’s voices, skills, and needs are central to national efforts to build a more peaceful, resilient, and secure Trinidad and Tobago—for all.

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This story was first published by UN Women Caribbean.