News Releases

UWI DENOUNCES YET ANOTHER INSTANCE OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

For Release Upon Receipt - September 29, 2022

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. Thursday September 29, 2022 – Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the St. Augustine Campus, The University of the West Indies, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, denounces the death of their staff member Marissa Edwards as yet another example of gender-based violence in Trinidad and Tobago, one that hits home.

“Words are often inadequate, especially when we are speaking about someone so young, vibrant, and much loved, with so much yet left to offer her family and friends.  It is even worse when the circumstances surrounding her passing are tragic.  Such acts are irrational although we understand they point to deep-seated defects in our society which we must address”, she said.

Dr. Sue Ann Barratt, Lecturer and Head of The UWI’s Institute for Gender and Development Studies, agrees, noting that Gender-Based Violence, particularly Violence Against Women, is a persistent threat to the lives of all women. 

“Violence in all its forms must come to an end.  We at the IGDS / UWI call on the national community to reflect on the far reaching consequences of the diverse forms of violence we often deem as societal norms.  We advocate for law enforcers to partner with civil society and other actors to inform and deepen their responses.  Most importantly, we call for an ‘all-of-society approach’ in identifying, and eliminating all forms of tolerance that facilitate the growth, expression and acceptance of these interlocking and varied forms of violence”.

Marissa Edwards was a dedicated staff member in the Department of Paraclinical Sciences at the Faculty of Medical Sciences. The University Community extends sincere condolences to her family, friends and team members at the faculty.

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.

Contact