Our Research Initiatives
Under our mandate to produce and disseminate knowledge based on the generation and analysis of research data on women, men, and gender related issues in the Caribbean, the IGDS has in excess of two decades’ experience in research around the ways in which systems and structures of gender can be used to enhance sustainability and social equity; improve the life chances of women and other vulnerable groups in the region and enhance structures and frameworks of governance in the region.
As the leading authority on issues of gender and development in the Caribbean, and in collaboration with regional and international institutions concerned with gender and development; the IGDS has over two and a half decades’ experience of providing advisory services; influencing policy direction and building capacity at every level in the region and throughout its Diaspora.
Both institutionally and through individual members of staff, the IGDS has been has completed and contributed to a substantial body of work directly relevant to mainstreaming gender into structures and frameworks of governance.
IGDS, UWI boasts extensive experience in the implementation and management of research initiatives geared towards capacity building around issues of gender and development, including – though not limited to - the areas of:
- Gender and Education
- Gender Analysis and Mainstreaming
- Capacity development and women’s leadership and economic empowerment
- Equitable and effective leadership approaches and dynamics.
- Effective political and social communications, advocacy and activism.
- Gender-responsive decision-making.
- Partnership-building with civil society for good governance and accountability.
Research and Community Engagement
The IGDS-RCO believes that it is important to build partnerships, increase knowledge and awareness despite cultural differences to contribute to change for the entire region. To operationalise this objective, the institute has undertaken development projects in conjunction with partners focused on entrenching gender responsiveness in sustainable policies and community engagement practices. The IGDS is committed to using research as an outreach strategy, especially to underserved communities, locally, regionally and internationally. Through these outreach activities the IGDS-RCO sensitizes ordinary women and men, boys and girls, educators, policy makers and the general population to issues of gender and development and social justice. The IGDS-RCO advocates Gender Justice, a political responsibility operationalised through research and development
IGDS Research Projects
| Project Title | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| CEDAW Performance/Exhibition Project (CPEP); US Public Diplomacy Small Grants Project | |
| Spotlight Project to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls |
This project focused on strengthening the laws governing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Jamaica. Further, the project reviewed, engaged with key experts and CSOs and made recommendations to the Joint Select Committee of Parliament responsible for the amendments of the acts that address violence against women and girls (VAWG), notably the Sexual Harassment Bill, Domestic Violence Act, the Sexual Offences Act, the Offences Against the Person Act, and the Childcare and Protection Act. |
| Men and Masculinities Projects 2017 to 2019 |
Two Men and Masculinities studies were conducted between 2017 and 2019. The first "Contemporary Caribbean Masculinities: Pilot Study of Males, Community and Crime in Jamaica" aimed to create new knowledge on conceptualisations, perceptions, manifestations and transformations of masculinities in Jamaica, how males viewed themselves and their roles within communities, the challenges they faced from crime and how these interact with gender dynamics. The second study "Positive Fathering: A Bridge to Enhancing Family Unity and Community Cohesion in Jamaica" was conducted by the IGDS in partnership with the Bureau of Gender Affairs in 2019. This study interrogated the link between Jamaican masculinities and fathering and examined how positive forms of fathering could be leveraged to strengthen families and create safer and more cohesive communities.
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