UN Day Mural Unveiling Celebrates Sustainable Development and Community Well-being in ArubaIn celebration of the 79th United Nations Day, a mural unveiling took place at Royal Plaza in Aruba, underscoring the island’s dedication to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the power of collaboration. This year’s theme highlighted SDG 8, “Decent Work and Economic Growth,” and SDG 17, “Partnerships for the Goals,” encouraging a broader view of progress that includes economic stability alongside environmental health and social equity. Reflecting this vision, the United Nations Migration Agency (IOM), the Aruba SDG Commission, and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, in collaboration with local artist Taki and NGO Venearuba Solidaria, launched the “Joyful Growth Index” mural. Featuring children at play, the mural symbolises development measured through community well-being and equality, further aligning with SDG 10, “Reduced Inequalities,” and other SDGs. An accompanying QR code links viewers to local studies and data supporting these Goals. Attended by government representatives and community partners, including retiring Minister of Economic Affairs, Geoffrey Wever, the event underscored Aruba’s commitment to sustainable growth, reinforcing the UN’s vision for a more equitable world by 2030.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago – The Joint Access, Support and Coordination (ASC) Programme, a three-year initiative supporting victims of human trafficking in Trinidad and Tobago, has concluded with several notable achievements. Funded by the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MMPTF) and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNICEF and United Nations Population (UNFPA) the project brought together international organizations, government ministries, and local partners to address crucial gaps in support services for trafficking survivors.  Ms. Desery Jordan Whiskey, Officer in Charge of IOM in Trinidad and Tobago, highlighted the project's impact at the closing ceremony. "Programmes like this one underscore the multifaceted nature of the support required for victims of gender-based violence and human trafficking and the importance of developing holistic approaches to address this issue," she stated. The ASC Programme's accomplishments include the full refurbishment of two shelters in Trinidad and Tobago, providing essential safe spaces for survivors. Through a comprehensive referral network, the project offered psychosocial support, counselling, vocational skills workshops, and sexual and reproductive health care to numerous survivors. Over its three-year duration, the programme provided training and capacity building to more than 800 participants across the public and private sectors. These efforts focused on strengthening protection mechanisms and protocols for survivors, including further capacity building in Child Protection, Gender Based Violence, and Psychosocial Support.  United Nations Resident Coordinator, Joanna Kazana, acknowledged the amazing work of the Counter Trafficking Unit and other Partners and stressed that “while the legal framework was in place, the effectiveness of anti-trafficking legislation depends on its consistent implementation and consistent law enforcement.” She further noted that “colleagues at IOM and other agencies are working to implement comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures to guide the treatment of survivors of trafficking, ensuring that there is a uniform approach across the different sectors of law enforcement, social services, health and community-based initiatives.” She encouraged all the project partners present to continue the important work initiated by the ASC Programme. IOM, with its 25-year history of combating human trafficking, has pledged ongoing support for local efforts to protect and support survivors. This commitment includes multi-level advocacy and further collaboration with national and regional stakeholders. The closing ceremony celebrated the project's achievements, aligning with the UN's Agenda 2030 goals to eliminate Gender Based Violence, Ensure Decent Work and Economic Growth, and promote Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. For more information about the project and future initiatives, interested parties can contact Kandy Serrant, Reporting and Communications Officer, at kserrant@iom.int

The United Nations is mobilising support for Caribbean priorities to deliver on the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS) - a plan of action to ensure the survival of SIDS. This was the main message from Heads of UN Agencies during a UN System-led panel discussion at the 30th session of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC), hosted in Port of Spain from September 9 - 11. The Committee, established in 1975 through a resolution of the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), promotes and strengthens economic and social cooperation among Caribbean countries and between the Caribbean and Latin America.Moderated by UN Resident Coordinator for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten, Joanna Kazana, the panel featured UNDP Resident Representative for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten, Ugo Blanco; WFP Caribbean Country Director, Brian Bogart; UNFPA Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean Director, Elizabeth Talbert; and University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus Programme Director at the Office of the Deputy Principal, Travis Sinckler.Discussions focused on four regional priorities for sustainable development: digitalisation, data, climate change and food systems.  While these areas already feature prominently in the collaboration between the UN and Caribbean countries under the Multi-Country Cooperation Framework for the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean (2022-2026), Ms. Kazana highlighted that ABAS opens up a new chapter of cooperation opportunities.As the CDCC considered next steps to roll out ABAS, Ms. Kazana underscored that member states can leverage the broad, multidisciplinary resources of the UN.“You can draw on the experience, the knowledge, the technical capacities of every UN agency that will have a stake in part of this agenda,” she said.Mr. Blanco noted that digital transformation is an accelerator of sustainable development. He said Caribbean governments are embracing this movement, but coordination and synergy are paramount. “The question is not if we are working on digitalisation,” he told the audience at the Hilton Trinidad. “The question is, are we being efficient? Are we talking the same language? Are we going in the same direction? In the Caribbean, given our economies of scale, our limited capacities, the need to come together is very evident.”He recalled that the Small Island Digital States 2.0 Conference hosted by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Trinidad and Tobago, in conjunction with UNDP Trinidad and Toabgo, aimed to create a collaborative, holistic framework for digital integration and innovation across the Caribbean. Mr. Blanco underscored that an effective strategy for digital transformation will be inclusive and equitable, putting people at the centre.“Digitalisation advances at the speed of trust that communities have in these initiatives,” he said. “We are seeing across the region that people are asking for participation, they want to be part of these processes.” Climate change adaptation remains a topline priority for Caribbean SIDS, and Mr. Blanco noted that the upcoming COP 29 and COP 30 meetings in Azerbaijan and Brazil respectively will bring issues critical for SIDS to the forefront. Chief among them is access to financing to mitigate against the effects of climate change.“The most important change COP will bring to the table since 2009, the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), will be discussed in Azerbaijan and be implemented after COP 30 in Brazil. It’s something specific that will benefit SIDS with grants, concessional funding and investment flows that can manage more inclusive climate financing for adaptation,” he said.At COP 29 in November 2024, governments must establish a new climate finance goal that reflects the scale and urgency of the climate challenge. Then, at COP 30 in November 2025, countries must come prepared with new nationally-determined contributions that take the whole economy into account, cover all greenhouse gasses and fully align with the 1.5°C temperature limit.“You will hear about the ‘beginning of the end,’” Mr. Blanco explained. “Decarbonisation and net zero pathways. There will be the operationalisation of the loss and damage fund, and an update on the global stock take.”On data, Ms. Talbert said the UN System is already supporting data-driven decision-making to shape effective humanitarian responses in the wake of natural hazards.“After Hurricane Beryl earlier this year, governments needed data on the sizes of the communities affected,” she noted. “This kind of data can inform the scope of humanitarian assistance. The UN is working to improve national statistical systems, build capacity and leverage innovation.”She said that it is sometimes said there is a paucity of data in the Caribbean, but the real struggle may be that the data is not disaggregated enough to ensure those who may be left behind can be reached.“Data incorporates human rights and gender equality. It ensures that we leave no one behind, especially marginalised groups, women, girls and Persons with Disabilities,” Ms. Talbert stated.Mr. Bogart picked up this point, noting that the seventh round of the CARICOM/WFP Caribbean Food Security and Livelihoods Survey conducted in April 2024 found that 43% of the population in the region was food insecure. “Using data systems to identify the most vulnerable populations, to assist governments with targeting programmes so they can meet the needs of populations that are impoverished or at risk of climate impacts, is key,” he noted.Mr. Bogart pointed out that the concept of resilient food systems is mainstreamed throughout the ABAS, an indication of its high priority status for a climate-vulnerable region like the Caribbean. Closing out the panelists’ contributions, Mr. Sinckler appealed for concerted advocacy efforts to make the SIDS agenda a mainstay in the global sustainable development conversation.“ABAS needs the policy space to ensure it is given pride of place. Yes, it is underpinned by Agenda 2030, but the specificity of SIDS remains important for us,” he said.At the start of the 30th Session of the CDCC, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Planning and Development, Pennelope Beckles, assumed chairmanship of the regional body for the next two years. Over the course of the three-day meeting, Caribbean ministers of government, ambassadors and development specialists discussed solutions to pressing development challenges. With just five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Executive Secretary of ECLAC, Jose Manuel Salazar, indicated that the Caribbean has only 20% of its SDG targets on track for achievement. Another 33% of the targets are moving in the right direction - albeit too slowly to meet the 2030 deadline. Nearly half of the targets - 47% - are moving in the wrong direction.Minister Beckles-Robinson urged country delegations, “Let this session ignite a renewed commitment among us to stand shoulder to shoulder with our fellow small island developing states, not just within our region, but across the globe. Together, we must confront the challenges before us and forge a path toward lasting, resilient prosperity.” 

30 August 2024 - Port of Spain - On Friday, August 30, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, distributed education kits to 17 refugee children who will study at national schools in Trinidad and Tobago for the first time. The distribution, including kits for seven local children, is a UNHCR-led initiative with support from members of the Education Working Group, including UNICEF and the Catholic Education Board of Management. Students entering the September 2024 school term received books, book bags, writing materials, uniforms, shoes, and other essential tools to support their academic journeys.In June 2024, Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Education outlined the process for Venezuelan children whose families registered under the Migrant Registration Framework (MRF) in 2019 to apply for a place in national schools. UNHCR, co-chair of the Education Working Group with UNICEF, is pleased to see this policy come to fruition for the children who have been granted student permits and will find a place among peers in classrooms across the country. Amanda Solano, UNHCR Head of Office a.i. in Trinidad and Tobago, said:“In addition to being a place of academic learning, schools provide children with core social skills, emotional support, and a nurturing environment for their well-being. For refugees, the opportunity to enter a school environment gives students the tools necessary for overall development and serves as a strong step toward their social and cultural inclusion, helping them learn, make friends, and find hope. UNHCR commends the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for opening the country’s classrooms to children on the move and remains committed to supporting the Government on its next steps on access to education to all children.”US Ambassador Candace Bond said:“The United States has been thrilled to partner with the government of Trinidad and Tobago, the Education Working Group, UNHCR, and so many others in ensuring Venezuelan migrant students are successfully integrated into the public school system. Today’s donation is yet another example of our joint efforts to support the educational aspirations of students across this country, no matter where they call home.” In Trinidad and Tobago, approximately 6,000 school-aged children require access to education. UNHCR, UNICEF, and Living Water Community support the Equal Place programme, a temporary intervention helping refugee and migrant children access education through online and in-person learning opportunities. This programme helps facilitate a smooth transition for non-national children into the formal education system.UNHCR remains steadfast in creating inclusive environments and advocating for the rights of refugees worldwide, including those in Trinidad and Tobago.