Workshop on Gender, Peace and Development - 2001

The Centre, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) conducted a two-day workshop on Gender, Peace and Development in the Caribbean from September 19th to 20th, 2001. The purpose of the workshop was to present the findings of a research project commissioned by UNESCO with the aims of devising a programme of activities on Gender, Peace and Development in the Caribbean and to establish a core group to implement the programme.

Another aim of the workshop was also to establish the interrelationship between issues of gender and peace and the way in which they affect development. Participants represented local, regional and international organizations, which included members of the public and private sector, women’s groups, individual researchers and students.

The study was co-ordinated by Dr. Gwendoline Williams and administered by the Centre for Gender and Development Studies on behalf of UNESCO. The Project Management team comprised Professor Rhoda Reddock and Dr. Kamala Kempadoo, Heads of the Centre for Gender and Development Studies at St. Augustine and Mona respectively. Mrs. Claudia De Four, Interim Co-ordinator of the Women and Development Studies Group and Head of the West Indian Division, UWI Main Library (St. Augustine), provided advice on compiling the bibliography.

Two teams of young professionals from the St. Augustine and Mona Campuses conducted the research. The members were Mr. Tracy Hackshaw and Ms. Gabrielle Henderson of St. Augustine Campus and Ms. Shakira Maxwell and Ms. Nicola Smith from the Mona Campus. Ms. Olatz Landa, a Basque volunteer at the UNESCO Kingston Office functioned as a member of the Mona Team. A full report of this workshop can be obtained from the UNESCO website

Workshop on Gender and Economics - 2001

The Centre for Gender and Development Studies organized a one-day workshop on Gender and Economics entitled Re-thinking Development: Does Gender Matter? in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) that was held on December 5th, 2001.The Workshop aimed at engendering debate on the ways in which gender analysis can influence the teaching and practice of economics. Participants included practicing economists, economics teachers, lecturers, students and researchers, non-governmental organizations and representatives of the private and public sectors.

Key Issues facing Women in Science and Technology - 2001

This two -day conference was held in collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences and NIHERST (National Institute for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology) from April 30th to May 2nd 2001. Target groups included women scientists, education officers, other scientists and students. Participants came from a wide cross section of society including University lecturers, members of Non-governmental Organisations, women’s groups, teachers, students and officials of the public and private sectors. Caribbean countries represented included Barbados, Suriname, Guyana and Cuba. The conference focused on issues of key importance such as gender concerns in the teaching of Science and Technology and the dearth of data collection in this area.

Two major follow-up activities arising out of this conference are a Caribbean wide autobiographical project on Women in Science and Technology and a proposed workshop on Gender dis-aggregated data analysis and collection in Science and Technology. The members of the organising committee are also considering creating a Women in Science and Technology Group which would be regional in composition.

Creative Strategies for Transforming Secondary Schools: Reclaiming the Classroom, 2002

This was a one-week workshop which ran for two consecutive weeks for teachers, school administrators, social workers held in collaboration with the Social Work Unit of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The main facilitator was Dr. Maud Blair of the Open Unviersity, UK. Dr. Blair is currently working with the Department for Education and Skills, UK. This was a very interactive workshop in which participants were trained in creative methods of teaching, understanding classroom dynamics, the interplay of gender and learning as well as understanding the impact of home life on learning, among other things. Fifty teachers from schools as far as Tobago to Siparia to Port-of-Spain attended.

International Women's Day

The Centre usually participates in the national celebrations for International Women’s Day, which takes place on March 8th.
This event is organized by the Ministry of community Development & Gender Affairs along with the Network of NGOs. The day's activities comprise booth displays, cultural events and a rally through Port of Spain. The CGDS organized displays, with members of staff and students giving their time to work in the booth. The Centre also participated in the planning meetings before the events. Members of the public as well as Government officials visited our booths.

The Centre also hosts a concert every year as part of its International Women’s day celebrations.

In 2004 the concert was entitled, Men Who Love Women and featured artists such as The Black Stalin and the popular all-male group, Three Canal.

Bi-Annual UWI Open Day

The Annual Open Day for secondary school students and the general public usually takes place in October. The Centre plays an active role in this process including having an information booth, screening videos, staging cultural events and hosting talks on various topics.

In 2004 the Marketing and Communications Department decided to host a Guidance Forum for Teachers. The unit will now alternate its focus between teachers and students.

Contributions to Government White Papers

1) Police Reform Bills
2) Draft Water Resources Policy

In response to requests, round-tables were organized including CGDS and non-CGDS personnel. Comments based on the round-tables were then submitted to the relevant authorities.

International Women’s Day concert, Men Who Love Women - March 21st 2004 at the Learning Resource Centre, UWI, St. Augustine, in celebration of International Women’s Day.

Reclaiming the Classroom 11: Alternative Strategies for Transforming Secondary Schools – contracted by the Ministry of Education as part of their ongoing Project Peace programme aimed at eliminating violence in schools.

Training workshops for teachers and principals on alternative discipline methods:

Workshops explored three main modules, facilitators were, Rowena Kalloo, Consultant and graduate student at the School of Education, Ramona Khan, MSc, trainer and consultant in Education, Dr.Lincoln Douglas and Dianne Douglas, Ph. D, Clinical Community Psychologist. Workshops were held for secondary schools at the School District level through the respective School Supervisors 3. The Centre provide workshop material and facilitation.

The workshops were organized according to the eight educational districts of Trinidad and Tobago, (St. George East, Victoria, South East, Central, Port of Spain and Environs,) targeting secondary school teachers and administrators within each district. They were designed according to a modular system and implemented over a period of eleven (11) months, complementing the school terms. Seven workshops have been completed with a total of one hundred and eighty (180) teachers being trained.

The series of workshops began and ended in the south of Trinidad. The first workshop was held on Friday May 9th, 2003 at the Siparia Senior Secondary School, Siparia, (St. Patrick Educational District) while the last workshop was carried out at the Princes Town High School in the South East Educational district on April 30th, 2004.
Workshops and Dates conducted:

1. St. Patrick Educational District at Siparia Senior Comprehensive on
May 9th, 2003
2. Caroni Educational District atWaterloo High School on June 17th, 2003
3. North Eastern Educational District at Matura High School on September 12th, 2003
4. Victoria Educational District at La Romaine High School on March 5th, 2004
5. St. George East at Bon Air High School on March 12th, 2004
6. Port of Spain and Environs at Teacher’s Credit Union on April 23rd, 2004
7. South East Educational District at Princes Town Senior Comprehensive on April 30th, 2004

International Day To Eliminate Violence Against Women

In commemoration of International Day To Eliminate Violence Against Women the Centre for Gender and Development Studies in collaboration with the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action, Trinidad and Tobago ( CAFRA TnT) held a one-day Workshop on Gender-based Violence and HIV/AIDS on Saturday November 2oth, 2004 at SALISES (Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Research, UWI. Gaietry Pargass, an attorney at law and currently the Social Affairs Officer at UNECLAC Port of Spain, presented on the Domestic Violence Act and discussed the links between gender violence and HIV/AIDS.

Glennis Hyacinth of ASPIRE conducted the afternoon session where participants came up with a number of recommendations and strategies to combat gender violence. Participants were very vocal and included a mix of the young and more mature sections of the population -these were: students of secondary schools, representatives of trade unions, representatives of women's groups and University students as well as the heartening presence of members of the media. Participants agreed that it was a very vibrant and informative workshop. A full report will be available soon.