30 Years of Advocacy for Gender Justice

The Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS) celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2023/2024 with the theme “30 Years of Advocacy for Gender Justice.” Established in 1993, UWI IGDS marked this significant milestone during the 2023/2024 academic year, reflecting on three decades of advocating for gender justice, coinciding with the University’s 75th jubilee. The legacy of UWI IGDS includes prominent scholar-activists and progressive policy initiatives for gender justice regionally and globally. Its work and research are deeply rooted in the realities and challenges faced by women, men, and nonbinary individuals. As part of the anniversary celebrations, the Institute reaffirmed its commitment to gender issues while emphasising the need to build awareness and resilience among marginalised groups, particularly vulnerable to the climate crisis. This includes persons with disabilities (PWD), women, children, and the elderly, as well as fostering partnerships with Indigenous peoples of the region, who have long been subject to narratives of extinction. Several events were planned to advance the University’s engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are focused on gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls, and their intersection with all other SDGs.