1. Launch of the Human Development Report

The UNDP 2025 Regional Human Development Report for Latin America and the Caribbean, titled “Under Pressure: Recalibrating the Future of Human Development,” was officially launched on 18 September 2025 in Port of Spain. Hosted by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, with Cabinet members, civil society, academia, and international partners in attendance, the event showcased the UN’s convening power. The report places resilience at the heart of development  policy in a context where the Caribbean and Latin America face mounting pressures, including the lingering effects of the pandemic, stronger and more frequent climate-related events, growing debt, economic instability, polarization,  and persistent inequalities. Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar emphasized that the report challenges Trinidad and Tobago to recalibrate its development model to make it more inclusive, more just, and more future-proof.

2. A Child-Friendly City Model for Stronger Urban Governance

UNICEF brought its global Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) to San Fernando, demonstrating how UN partnerships with local government, the private sector, and community actors can accelerate safer, more inclusive urban development. The initiative aims to integrate children’s rights, voices, and needs into local planning and public policy. In 2025, this partnership strengthened governance and accountability: a formal MOU and strong resource commitment from the mayor of San Fernando anchored sustained engagement, while a UN Technical Working Group, in collaboration with multiple UN agencies, helped align local action with national priorities for child sensitive systems. In parallel, a South–South exchange with Redbridge CFCI (UK) and child-led advocacy through photography elevated child advocacy to shape policymaking efforts at prevention and inclusive planning. The 2025 work on CFCI culminated with “Our Cities Through Our Eyes,” an exhibit at the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago featuring photographs taken by 15 children who live in San Fernando. Through their cameras, the children documented their realities and perspectives on nutrition, safety, the environment, education, and spaces for recreation. The exhibit brought together Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, national leaders, ambassadors, children, and parents, amplifying children’s voices in governance and signaling whole-of-government commitment. The Government of Korea contributed human resources, reinforcing international solidarity and technical support. With a cross-section of partnerships driving this progress, CFCI is working to deliver a safer, more inclusive San Fernando by 2027.

3. Recognizing Women’s Contributions to Environmental Research, Advocacy, and Stewardship

In March 2025, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs, and Development and the UNCT, hosted the Women in the Environment Awards Ceremony. The event  commemorated International Women’s Day and the EMA’s thirtieth anniversary. The event honored 30 women whose work has contributed to environmental conservation, climate action, education, and sustainable development in  Trinidad and Tobago. The UN Office of the Resident Coordinator provided financial sponsorship on behalf of the UNCT, reflecting the UN’s long-standing partnership with the EMA and national institutions on environmental governance and sustainable development.

Private sector engagement in 2025 focused on analysis, dialogue, and project pipeline development. A flagship initiative was UNDP support to the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago (AMCHAM) to design the proposed Social High-Impact Fund for Trinidad and Tobago (SHIFTT ), in partnership with Ernst & Young (EY) and IDB Lab. To prepare the fund for its planned 2026 launch, UNDP, with support from the Office of the Resident Coordinator, convened technical discussions on results-based philanthropy, risk-sharing models, and governance arrangements to ensure the fund is fit for purpose and investor-ready. A planned investment of US$2 million from IDB Lab would enable business leaders to co-create impactful interventions and pledge philanthropic funding for them. These interventions will be implemented using IDB Lab capital, with businesses paying only upon verification of agreed results by EY. This results-based financing structure will significantly reduce implementation risks for large-scale philanthropic endeavors. Partnerships with the private sector were also strengthened through collaboration with the European Chamber of Commerce Sustainability Awards, promoting corporate engagement in sustainable development and responsible business practices.

Other private sector partnerships in 2025 include:

• AMCHAM's ESG Conference
• The Chamber of Industry and Commerce and ACCA's Accounting for Emissions booklet
• The AMCHAM Safety Simple Guide for MSMEs

1. National Ocean Conference

A flagship initiative in 2025 was the “Charting a Blue Future: Trinidad and Tobago’s Road to the 2025 UN Ocean Conference,” co-hosted by the Embassy of France and the UN system. Held on 15–16 May, the conference brought together more than 150 stakeholders from government, international organizations, the private sector, academia, civil society, and youth. The forum served as both Trinidad and Tobago’s national consultation for the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, and as a catalyst for domestic action on SDG 14 within wider climate resilience and economic diversification efforts. The conference produced a stakeholder-driven blueprint that now guides UNCT partnerships and financing– focused on legal reform, blue economy investment, Green Fund access, and inclusive governance. UN Resident Coordinator, Joanna Kazana, represented the Resident Coordinator System in the Caribbean at the Ocean Conference in France, where she handed over copies of the Trinidad and Tobago report to Lin Junhua, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), Rabab Fatima, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries (LCDs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLCDs) and Small Island Developing States.

2. 'Artivism' for 16 Days of Activism Against GBV

UNFPA implemented an “Artivism” campaign for 16 Days of Activism, using the orange economy of art, culture, and creative expression as entry points to encourage public dialogue, challenge harmful social norms, and raise awareness on technology-facilitated GBV. As part of the initiative, secondary school children designed and painted a large-scale mural on the eastern wall of the Grand Stand at Queen’s Park Savannah, one of the country’s most prominent cultural spaces. The mural serves both as a visual statement of solidarity and hope and as a practical advocacy tool, incorporating a QR code that directs viewers to information and available support services, thereby linking awareness efforts with pathways to assistance. The initiative was supported through Canadian funding under the Equal SRH project, with the High Commission of Canada partnering in the public launch of the mural as part of the 16 Days of Activism activities.