Trinidad and Tobago Host 1st Caribbean Congress on Adolescent Health

A consortium of Caribbean and regional partners executed the First Caribbean Congress on Adolescent and Youth on October 14-17th, 2019 in Trinidad and Tobago. Under the theme ‘Championing our Wealth: Promoting Health & Wellbeing of Adolescents and Youth in the Caribbean’, the Caribbean Congress on Adolescent and Youth Health provided a launch-pad from which advocates, health and front-line workers, policy-makers, academia, clinicians and young people themselves heeded the call towards improving their health and wellbeing for future regional developments.

Fuelled by its commitment to place youth issues in the spotlight, the congress received the support at the highest leadership levels through the Office of the President of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, Her Excellency Paula-Mae Weeks ORTT and the Office of the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago and Congress Patron Mrs Sharon Rowley, wife of the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago. The consortium of partners included PAHO, UNFPA, IAAH, the Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago and its parent organization, PANCAP, regional youth organizations, civil society and NGO actors, and Foundation Botnar. The working committee was led by Congress Chair and IAAH Regional Vice President, Dr Asha Pemberton.

This meeting not only served as the first of its kind in the region, it also doubled as the International Association for Adolescent Health’s first Caribbean Regional Meeting. “I was thrilled to help facilitate a congress in my region that not only brought attention to the needs of our Caribbean young people, but it also hopefully established the need for an annual or biannual meeting, said Pemberton. “My work with IAAH has only fuelled my passion to continue to push for an annual congress.”

Recognizing some of the disparities young people face – poverty, employment issues, school enrollment and completion rates, financial and societal barriers, mental and physical disabilities, sexual diversity, access to health information and quality health services – the congress aimed to mobilize greater investments and connections for young people. It also strived to build collaborative partnerships and develop strategies for alignment efforts in the Caribbean for the promotion and protection of the health and wellbeing of all adolescents and young people.

250 people attended the congress, representing 25 different countries, but more fascinating was that the majority of attendees were themselves, young people aged 10-25 years-old. “Seeing so many young people attend and be excited about empowering themselves and their peers in the promotion of health and wellbeing was exhilarating,” said Pemberton.

The congress also provided a platform to promote the recently launched Caribbean Association for Adolescent Health (CAAH), which hosted a lunchtime meet-and-greet, where they actively recruitment new members and talked about the mission and vision. “Being a member of CAAH and IAAH, I foresee a lot of collaborative opportunities in our future. I look forward to facilitating the growth of both CAAH and IAAH as a strong Caribbean advocate,” said Pemberton.

For more information about the Caribbean Association for Adolescent Health (CAAH), please email Asha Pemberton, [email protected].