The Catalogue of Services was prepared by the University of the West Indies – Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business (UWI-ALJGSB), as a product of the Spotlight Initiative.

 Purpose

The Catalogue of Services is  a resource guide for victims and survivors of gender- based violence seeking support services to enhance their economic security, and increased autonomy and well-being, thus making them less dependent on their abusive partners. Further, it is a resource for service providers and first responders to have access to information as they respond to individuals and families affected by family violence. The Catalogue will strengthen and complement the existing sources of information that are available to survivors to improve their social, psychological and physical wellbeing. It is hoped that survivors will use the information in the Catalogue to increase their employability and their capacity to generate a higher income.

The Catalogue of Services is a product of the Spotlight Initiative, a global, multi-year programme, funded by the European Union (EU) in collaboration with the United Nations (UN), which is focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) by 2030. In recognition of the high prevalence of family violence, Trinidad and Tobago has been selected to be part of the Spotlight Initiative. The Initiative brings focused attention to violence against women and girls and gender-based violence, moving them into the spotlight, and to the centre of efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment, in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Spotlight Initiative demonstrates that a significant, concerted and comprehensive investment in gender equality and ending violence can make a transformative difference in the lives of women and girls.

For this first edition of the Catalogue, the Data Collection Team interfaced with more than ninety (90) organisations, fifty-four (54) of which met the selection criteria and submitted their details. Data was collected over a three (3) month period, supported by intense marketing campaigns through public advertisement via social media (Facebook, Linkedin, WhatsApp), referrals and targeted phone calls and emails. Support organisations were also asked to publicise the initiative via their social media outlets and personal networks.

 Target Audience

 The Catalogue specifically caters to:

• Female survivors of domestic and family violence; children impacted by family violence (minors between 0 – 17 years)
• Members of other at-risk and marginalised populations such as: Spanish speaking migrants/refugees, sex workers, the urban and rural poor, the unemployed, uneducated and undereducated; members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) community and persons with disabilities.

The Catalogue is geared at beneficiaries who meet the above criteria, with emphasis on persons that reside in the target regions of Tunapuna/Piarco, Mayaro/Rio Claro or Tobago. Notwithstanding the prescribed population, this Catalogue can be utilised by anyone to whom the services prove to be beneficial.

Accessing the Catalogue:

This Catalogue, available in English and Spanish, showcases the services offered to domestic violence survivors by 50+ organisations, in the three selected regions.

Physical copies were made available at:

• Police Stations
• Health Facilities
• Regional Corporations
• Houses of Worship eg. churches, mandirs and masjids in the selected regions
• Major Supermarkets in the selected regions eg. Tru Valu – Trincity

E-versions of the Catalogue can also be accessed online, on the websites and social media pages of select dissemination partners.

The Catalogue can be accessed here: https://lokjackgsb.edu.tt/catalogue-of-services/

Acknowledgements:

We would like to express heartfelt appreciation to:

• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private and public agencies, whose services are showcased in the Catalogue;
• Distribution partners i.e. entities that are hosting the Catalogue physically at their location and/or the e-version on their websites and social media platforms;
• The Caribbean Interpreting and Translation Bureau, UWI, who provided translation services for this initiative;
• The Spotlight Team, without whose guidance this initiative would not be possible. Of special note are Aurora Noguera-Ramkissoon and Asiya Mohammed (UNFPA) and Virginia Rose Losada (ILO).

Future Editions of the Catalogue:

Organisations and persons wishing to be part of future editions of the Catalogue and/or dissemination efforts are invited to send an email to the Spotlight Initiative Coordination Team at rcotrinidadandtobago@un.org to be added to a contact list. The developers of the new edition will contact all interested parties in due time.