News Releases

UWI Community Mourns Passing of Activist and Honorary Graduate Hazel Brown

For Release Upon Receipt - September 22, 2022

St. Augustine


 

The late Ms. Hazel Brown is congratulated by UWI’s Chancellor Robert Bermudez,

after being conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) in 2017

ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. Thursday September 22, 2022 – The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St. Augustine Campus, joins with the nation in mourning the passing of Honorary Graduate Hazel Angela Brown, on Thursday 22 September.

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine expressed her sadness at the loss.

"Hazel Brown pioneered the movement to encourage and develop women politicians from every, and any, party so that women's voices could be heard and their issues made visible. She was a fearless champion of women's rights and Social Justice, and a good colleague."

Lecturer and Head, Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS) at The UWI St. Augustine Campus Dr. Sue Ann Barratt described Brown as “An inspiring woman, feminist fighter and advocate for gender equity and Justice. She was relentless and brave and mentored other women, especially women leaders to stay their course. A true champion indeed. Her down to earth assertiveness will be missed.”

The UWI conferred her with an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) at the St. Augustine Campus 2017 Graduation ceremony. She delivered a most memorable speech at The Faculty of Social Sciences Graduation Ceremony. “My greatest disappointment during my years of advocacy has been the lack of consistent, purposeful organising, by people like yourselves in this room, in areas of active citizenship. There is much talk but there is not enough of the necessary action that is required around advocacy for social justice.”

This necessary action, she said, goes far beyond volunteering. Rather people must “Get Up, Stand Up and Speak Up for Gender Justice” and cultivate a gender-sensitive approach in every area of life to achieve an equitable and just society.

Brown has been recognised by the UNDP and the Guyana Cancer Society.  In 2011, she was among the first to receive the Trinidad and Tobago Medal for the Development of Women (Gold).

The UWI St. Augustine Campus extends condolences to the family of Ms. Hazel Brown.

END

About The University of the West Indies 

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region. 

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. 

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world. 

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%. 

The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 20 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action. 

For more, visit www.uwi.edu.

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