The Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS) at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, in partnership with UN Women and the United Nations Country Team in Jamaica, will host the ‘Research for ALL Women and Girls in Jamaica’ symposium in observance of International Women’s Day 2025.

The event will take place on Thursday, 13 March 2025, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at The UWI Mona Undercroft.

The symposium aligns with The UWI’s Research Day 2025 theme, “The UWI Mona: Driving Jamaican, Caribbean and Global Development.” Under the global theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” the event aims to facilitate discussions on women’s empowerment and highlight key research findings on women and girls in Jamaica.

The objectives of the symposium include:

1. Advancing critical conversations on women’s empowerment in celebration of International Women’s Day.
2. Providing a platform for CSOs, NGOs, and research entities to present the latest studies and findings on women and girls in Jamaica.
3. Exposing the university community to valuable resources on women’s empowerment, offering practical tools to further empower young women and girls.

Programme Outline:

The event will begin with an exhibition from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., where booth holders will showcase various knowledge products, research, and resources on issues affecting women and girls in Jamaica. At 1:30 p.m., a panel discussion titled ‘The State of Research on Women and Girls in Jamaica: Mapping Progress, Addressing Gaps‘ will take place, featuring panellists from The UWI and UN Women discussing current trends in researching women and girls. This will be followed by a media tour of the booth holders, led by United Nations Resident Coordinator in Jamaica, Dennis Zulu, from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. The event will conclude with a graduate student conversation on research approaches by and for women, moderated by Carla Moore, from 3 pm to 4 pm.

The panel discussion will feature Dr Natasha Mortley, Monique K. Long, Dr Ramona Biholar, Dr Dacia Leslie, and Dr Halimah DeShong, all of whom will share insights on gender research, planning, and development. Dr DeShong, a Senior Lecturer at the UWI Faculty of Law, will join the discussion alongside experts in gender studies.

The symposium will also include an exhibition featuring key stakeholders, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and civil society organisations (CSOs) that work with women, girls, and other priority populations in Jamaica.

Students, faculty, researchers, and members of the public are invited to engage with experts, gain knowledge, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue on women’s rights and empowerment.