News Releases

Annual Women’s Rights Rally & March INSPIRE INCLUSION – BRING YUH MESSAGE AND COME!

For Release Upon Receipt - March 4, 2024

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago March 4, 2024 – In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) St. Augustine Campus’s Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), together with the Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women in Trinidad and Tobago, and the Women’s Rights Alliance, proudly announces the Annual Women’s Rights Rally & March. This pivotal event will take place at Woodford Square on Friday, March 8, from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, under the rallying call ‘Inspire Inclusion – Bring Yuh Message and Come!’

The gathering begins at 10am and will feature a short programme with dynamic speakers as well as an Info Fair, which will include counselling services, legal advice, resources from community organisations, and more. The march will begin at 12noon and proceed South on Frederick Street, to West on Independence Square South, then North on Abercromby Street, to East on Duke Street and North on Frederick, ending at Woodford Square. We return to the space following the march. The gathering space will be wheelchair accessible and the rally will include sign interpretation.

This open invitation to “Bring Yuh Message and Come!” echoes the spirit of past years, with the 2024 theme drawing from the global call to "Inspire Inclusion," and spotlights local advocacy for gender justice, and the urgent need to eliminate gender-based violence. The Women’s Rights Rally and March aims to forge a safe, inclusive environment for all citizens and residents of Trinidad and Tobago to voice their concerns and champion women’s rights.

This year’s collaboration with the Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women in Trinidad and Tobago marks a return to the iconic Woodford Square, a beacon for advocacy over the past three decades. Building on a legacy of activism, this year’s event is part of a continuum that includes the bold Life in Leggings Solidarity Regional March in 2017, the empowering Speak Your Truth initiative in 2018 for empowerment of women and girls to be fearless in pushing for progress, the 2019 call to “Demand Better for Gender Justice,” and in 2020 “Power in Action” march to honour, encourage, include, and act for gender justice. In 2021 the IWD Walk Out for Women called for safety and lives freed from violence for women and girls, and the 2023 march to “Embrace Everyone.”

For specific needs, or questions, please contact Rachel.Taylor@sta.uwi.edu. If you are unable to attend in person, your voice still matters—share your messages of solidarity on the International Women’s Day (IWD) Trinidad and Tobago Facebook Page @IWDTrinidadandTobago or the event page for the Annual Women’s Rights Rally and March or Instagram @iwdtt.

Please join us on Friday 8th March at the Woodford Square and walk with your signs, banners, flags, musical instruments and don’t forget to stay hydrated. Bring your crew and wear your organisation’s t shirt. Bring your family. Everyone is welcome!

For further details surrounding the event, please contact: Angelique Nixon 868-732-3543 or Rachel Taylor 868-786-8465.

Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1958656651109314/

 Working Group: CAISO: Sex and Gender Justice, CEDAW Committee of Trinidad and Tobago, Fire Circle TT, Institute for Gender and Development Studies, Network of NGOs of TT for the Advancement of Women, WOMANTRA and Women Working for Social Progress. Partners: 2 Cents Movement, Amalgamated Workers Union, Association of Female Executives of Trinidad and Tobago, Conflict Women, Ltd., The Cropper Foundation, Ile EGBE Yemoja, Ozone Protect, Mamatoto Resource and Birth Centre, Mindwise Project, The Silver Lining Foundation, Soroptimist International Chaguanas, Trinidad & Tobago Unified Teachers' Association, The UWI Guild of Students, WINAD, and Women's Caucus of T&T, among others.

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 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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