Women's Institute for Alternative Development - WINAD

23/03/2026

Please join us in celebrating the appointment of our former Legal Director, Mrs. Adaphia Trancoso-Ribeiro, to the Magistracy of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. We are beaming with pride and wish her the very best in this prestigious new chapter.

11/03/2026

10/03/2026

It is tradition for us to get together to laugh and talk and affirm each other for and Sunday was no different.
Stalwarts from 1999, when we started this work, were joined by leaders of our most recent past, and some of our friends.

Enjoy the highlights! Folade Mutota Jillian Duncan-Henderson Sattie Narace

18/12/2025

On Tuesday, 16 December, 2025, WINAD officially launched the Borderline Voices Leading Change report sharing key insights from our research with women in borderline communities and presenting five policy recommendations to inform responses to gun and gang violence and insecurity.

We were honoured to hear remarks from Senator Dr. the Honourable Kennedy Swaratsingh, Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development and Ms. Jessica Cohoe, Head of Culture, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany.

This report which was produced by the Outreach & Research Team of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, St. Augustine Unit is the result of deep collaboration.

We extend sincere thanks to our partners, Zivik Funding Programme, Institute for Gender and Development Studies, St. Augustine Unit as well as the Women’s Council, our team of data collectors, our advisory committee, project team members and consultants, whose commitment, care, and leadership made this work possible.

02/12/2025

Women are on the frontlines of violence prevention but too often left out of arms-control decisions.

Join us on December 4 for a 16 Days of Activism webinar exploring how gender-responsive small arms control can reduce GBV, strengthen community safety, and elevate women’s leadership in peace and security.

Hear from leading experts as we unpack how fi****ms increase GBV risks, where policy gaps persist, and the practical ways women are shaping safer communities.

🗓 Thursday, December 4, 2025
⏰ 9:00–10:00AM EST
📍 Virtual (Zoom)

Save the date and join us for this important conversation.

01/12/2025

On Saturday 29 November, the Borderline Voices Leading Change project team met with internal stakeholders, including members of the Women’s Council, international interns, and key service providers for a project check-in.

The project team comprising Folade Mutota, Gary Grant and Shelley Toney reviewed the various leadership activities completed by our Women's Council to date and provided administrative and financial reports.

They also took time to acknowledge the diligent work of our interns, Emilie Aziza Amisi and Marian Mohamoud, who produced research on international women’s leadership models and potential funding pathways.

Finally, members of the Women's Council were also given the opportunity to share updates on their mentorship experience thus far.

This collaborative review ensures transparency and shared ownership as the project moves toward its final phase.
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The Borderline Voices Leading Change project formally known as the Women’s Conversations: Women Disarmament, Small Arms Control and Leading Change in Borderline Communities in Trinidad and Tobago aims to pilot a model for women’s full and effective inclusion in policy-making.

This project is supported with German Federal Foreign Office’s funds by ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen), Zivik Funding Programme.

Researcher: Institute for Gender and Development Studies, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine.

27/11/2025

So much of community life rests on women who are navigating silent burdens like...

➡️protecting children
➡️coping with trauma
➡️managing limited resources, and
➡️trying to hold their households steady.

Our research captures these persistent challenges. Swipe to read more.

Visit our profile to see more of our findings across thematic areas like...

✅️Education
✅️Political Power
✅️Employment and Work and
✅️Transportation and Movement
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The Borderline Voices Leading Change project formally known as the Women’s Conversations: Women Disarmament, Small Arms Control and Leading Change in Borderline Communities in Trinidad and Tobago aims to pilot a model for women’s full and effective inclusion in policy-making.

This project is supported with German Federal Foreign Office’s funds by ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen), Zivik Funding Programme.

Researcher: Institute for Gender and Development Studies, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine.

26/11/2025

Political power shapes community life...

From how elections bring resources into a community, to who holds influence to how women leaders must navigate these dynamics.

See what our 2025 research revealed about political power in borderline communities.

Stay tuned for more.
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The Borderline Voices Leading Change project formally known as the Women’s Conversations: Women Disarmament, Small Arms Control and Leading Change in Borderline Communities in Trinidad and Tobago aims to pilot a model for women’s full and effective inclusion in policy-making.

This project is supported with German Federal Foreign Office’s funds by ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen), Zivik Funding Programme.

Researcher: Institute for Gender and Development Studies, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine.

25/11/2025

Transport isn’t just about getting from one place to another .

In many borderline communities, it shapes access to school, work, safety, and basic services.

Our 2025 research shows how cost, distance, borderlines, and disability all affect women’s ability to move through their communities.

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The Borderline Voices Leading Change project, also known as the Women’s Conversations: Women, Disarmament, Small Arms Control and Leading Change in Borderline Communities in Trinidad and Tobago aims to implement a model for women's full and effective participation in policymaking.

It is supported with German Federal Foreign Office funds by ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) through the zivik Funding Programme.

Research conducted by the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, UWI St. Augustine.

20/11/2025

From diagnosis delays to transport costs to managing trauma...

our research shows how education gaps unfold in borderline communities, directly impacting children and families.

Swipe through to see the key findings.
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The Borderline Voices Leading Change project, also known as the Women’s Conversations: Women, Disarmament, Small Arms Control and Leading Change in Borderline Communities in Trinidad and Tobago aims to pilot a model for women's full and effective participation in policymaking.

The project is supported with German Federal Foreign Office funds by ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) through the zivik Funding Programme.

Research conducted by the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, UWI St. Augustine.

19/11/2025

What does work and unemployment look like for women in borderline communities?

These findings come directly from our 2025 research.
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The Borderline Voices Leading Change project, also known as the Women’s Conversations: Women, Disarmament, Small Arms Control and Leading Change in Borderline Communities in Trinidad and Tobago aims to pilot a model for women’s full and effective participation in policymaking.

It is supported with German Federal Foreign Office funds by ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) through the zivik Funding Programme.

Research conducted by the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, UWI St. Augustine.