Gender Equality and Social Inclusion - The Way Forward for Caribbean Sport

The building of a Caribbean network was one of the main outcomes of the TAFISA-UNESCO workshop on equality and social inclusion, which concluded on September 22nd at the home of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee.

The two-day workshop was facilitated by TAFISA and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) in partnership with UNESCO.  Over 25 participants from seven Caribbean territories explored topics under the theme “Achieving Social Inclusion and Gender Equality in the Caribbean using Sports and Physical Activity”.  The workshop ended with participants pledging to establish a Caribbean network aimed at promoting the ‘sport for all’ agenda throughout the region.

“Advancing Women in Leadership” was the theme for the national workshop hosted by the TTOC on September 23rd in Trinidad, further demonstrating the commitment of leaders in the region to equality.  The workshop was attended by more than 80 participants from diverse fields across sport, government bodies, international NGOs, education and the private sector, and plans for progress have been laid.

Not to be left in the shadows of its larger sister island, Tobago hosted an Advanced TAFISA Certified Leadership Course on “Becoming and Active City Island” on September 25th and 26th, supported by the First Citizens Sports Foundation and Tobago House of Assembly.  Attended by over 30 representatives, the two-day training course focussed on progress since the first Tobago TAFISA CLC in 2014, and building an effective strategy for increasing participation in Sport for All and physical activity across all of Tobago, using Active City principles from TAFISA’s “Take Back Your Streets… Take Back Your Future!” programme. 

TAFISA gives thanks to its programme partners, UNESCO, CANOC, the First Citizens Sports Foundation and the TTOC for their diligent work in preparing for three successful programmes, as well as Luiz Eduardo Rodrigues Coelho from SESC, Sao Paulo, who contributed greatly to all three events.

Special mention must be made to the following individuals, and their teams, who continue to create positive change in the region, and without whom such great programmes would not be possible: 

• Catherine Forde (Trinidad and Tobago)
• Annette Knott (Trinidad and Tobago)
• Brian Lewis (Trinidad and Tobago)
• Keith Joseph (St. Vincents and the Grenadines)

For more information, or to enquire about hosting or attending similar programmes, please contact info@tafisa.org.