Trinidad and Tobago is making historic progress in strengthening inclusive and equitable education, ensuring that every child, regardless of nationality, has access to learning opportunities. With a landmark policy shift in 2024, enabled by a comprehensive package of support from the United Nations and its partners, the Government took concrete steps to begin integrating refugee and migrant students into the national education system. Following collaboration between the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UNHCR, IOM, the Ministry of National Security, the Ministry of Education, faith-based organizations and civil society, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago amended immigration regulations to allow children registered under the 2019 Migrant Registration Framework to enroll in the national education system. As a result, 60 refugee and migrant children entered government-funded schools between September and December 2024, supported by a UNICEF-Ministry of Education partnership that developed a streamlined registration system across 22 primary schools. Under the national Response for Venezuela (R4V) platform, the Education Working Group, co-chaired by UNICEF and UNHCR, served as a convening platform to coordinate the expertise of denominational educators, development actors and civil society organizations in supporting the Ministry of Education with administrative preparations for this important step in integration. The Education Working Group comprises the Pan- American Development Foundation, the Catholic Education Board of Management, the Living Water Community, the Catholic Commission of Social Justice and the Heroes Foundation. Beyond facilitating access to learning, UNICEF completed a groundbreaking economic analysis which demonstrated that inclusive education policies could boost Trinidad and Tobago’s gross domestic product by up to 4.5 per cent by 2030, underscoring the long-term economic benefits of equitable learning. To further support integration, UNHCR provided school supplies and uniforms to 23 refugee and migrant students, while 100 tablets were provided to the Ministry of Education under its Adopt- A-School program to enhance digital learning. Thirty laptops were donated to Venezuelan migrant students to narrow the digital divide and support access to essential educational resources including virtual lectures and other online material.

The United Nations continues partnering with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to widen education access to the more than 2,000 registered refugee and migrant children still awaiting inclusion in national schools. In the interim, UNHCR and UNICEF maintained their collaborative Equal Place program, a temporary alternative learning initiative delivering education to 1,774 refugee and migrant children – 658 at the primary level and 1,116 in secondary education. Additionally, UNICEF’s partnerships with 8 community-based organizations continued providing informal education to refugee and migrant children through 18 child-friendly spaces. With funding from the European Commission Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations and the United States of America’s Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), UNICEF has addressed financial barriers to education through Programa TEEN. This cash program provided critical support to 931 individuals, including 456 children, ensuring access to necessities such as educational materials. Rounding out this comprehensive package of United Nations support, UNICEF worked with the Ministry of Education to offer vision screenings for over 1,200 students leading to 328 children receiving glasses by December 2024.

The United Nations remains a steadfast partner for Trinidad and Tobago’s mission to ensure every child can learn, thrive and contribute to a more prosperous society, thereby advancing progress on SDGs 4 and 10, and Vision 2030’s commitment to Putting People First.

In 2024, Trinidad and Tobago recorded an improved ranking in the United States Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, moving off the Tier 2 Watch List after three years. This achievement signals the country’s growing capacity to combat and respond to human trafficking through stronger law enforcement, victim support and protection, and public awareness. The United Nations system and its partners directly contributed to this milestone by strengthening prosecution efforts, enhancing institutional capacity and fostering a multi-sectoral approach to TIP prevention. Spearheaded by UNDP and IOM, these efforts leveraged partnerships with the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund, the United States Government Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the American Bar Association and the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS). A key catalyst for Trinidad and Tobago’s progress in 2024 was the development of a costed implementation framework for the National Action Plan (NAP) to improve prosecution of TIP, as part of the UNDP CARISECURE 2.0 initiative. A capacity development report for the Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU) further reinforced law enforcement’s strategic direction for delivering effective TIP responses. Additionally, an alliance with the American Bar Association provided specialized training for law enforcement and judicial officers, reinforcing the prosecutorial chain against traffickers.

IOM contributed to this holistic approach by enhancing the national response systems which ensure victims of trafficking receive effective care and support. In 2024, 228 people were trained to offer improved victim care, case management, age assessment and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA). Shelter management training equipped 38 stakeholders with skills to manage shelters for trafficking survivors. This comprehensive approach contributes to empowering survivors, fostering their rehabilitation and enabling them to transition from victims to empowered individuals contributing positively to society. By combining institutional strengthening and multi-sectoral coordination, UNDP, IOM and their partners laid a strong foundation for sustainable progress on SDG 16 and Vision 2030’s commitment to a safer, more just society.

Dr. Ravi Lalla, Medical Chief of Staff at the Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility, has seen firsthand the improvement to healthcare service delivery that resulted from the integration of eight robots into the public health system. “They will offer us the ability to be able to offload some of the work that would have normally have a person doing, and now we could have the robot take over the space and free up the people to do more of the human interactions... that could only lead to a richer experience for people entering the healthcare system”, Dr. Lalla said.

This groundbreaking initiative, a collaboration between the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health, introduced two disinfecting robots and six humanoid health service robots into hospitals across east, central and south Trinidad, as well as Tobago. Financed by the India-United Nations Fund and strengthened through South-South Cooperation with Rwanda, these robots assist with patient registration and communication. The project delivers targeted support for the elderly, persons with disabilities and Spanish-speaking patients, making healthcare more accessible and efficient. In partnership with the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), PAHO/WHO also ensured that local healthcare professionals received training to effectively use the robots, strengthening the technical capacity of the public health system. By leveraging cutting-edge digital health solutions, this initiative is enhancing healthcare service delivery, reducing staff workload and improving patient experience – all while advancing SDG 3 and Theme 1 of Vision 2030: Putting People First.

Achieving gender equality in parliamentary representation and national leadership is essential to mainstreaming gender in national policies and programs. To advance this goal, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) forged a multi-stakeholder partnership with The InterAmerican Commission of Women, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and the School of Government of the Organization of American States to provide strategic support and professional development for women in leadership. This initiative culminated in November 2024 with the hosting of the first Regional Electoral Course for Women Candidates in Port of Spain.

Designed to strengthen political engagement and leadership capacity, the course provided 24 women electoral candidates from the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago with critical knowledge on the local and regional political landscape, helping them make informed decisions about their political careers. The initiative enhanced their political skills, built their leadership capacity and equipped them with practical strategies to combat gender-based discrimination throughout the electoral process. By equipping women candidates with the skills, networks and confidence to lead political processes and shape policy, this initiative directly advances SDG 5 and helps shape a more inclusive, equitable political landscape.

A policy reform collaboration between PAHO/WHO and its partners delivered a stronger regulatory framework for long-term air quality improvement in 2024, making good progress towards promoting healthy communities and creating sustainable, resilient urban environments. Working with the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), the Ministry of Planning and Development, and the Swedish International Development Agency, PAHO/WHO updated Trinidad and Tobago’s national air pollution rules, laying the groundwork for stronger enforcement to enhance air quality and reduce environmental health risks. In support of this initiative, PAHO/WHO and the Ministry of Health collaborated to reduce air pollution-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and promote cleaner, healthier urban environments. Over a three-month period, technical staff from civil society, academia and government sectors received specialized training that equipped them with practical strategies for identifying and mitigating air pollution risks. This engagement also fostered stronger collaboration between health authorities and the mayors and chairpersons at the helm of local government to develop community-based solutions for air pollution and urban health challenges. By convening a cross-sectoral network of collaborators to integrate policy reform and capacity-building, PAHO/WHO is working towards a healthier Trinidad and Tobago with a more sustainable urban future. This work aligned with SDGs 3 and 11.