Our five areas of Expertise
The UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean, based in Kingston, seeks to build peace through international cooperation with and for the Member States and Associate Members in the Caribbean Small Island Developing States. UNESCO’s five programmes sectors contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) defined in the Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
UNESCO recognizes that solutions to today’s global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and youth unemployment need a multi-sectoral response. In this regard, UNESCO mobilizes scientific and traditional knowledge in the context of its multidisciplinary mandate in Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, and Communication and Information.
Education
The UNESCO Education sector promotes the fundamental right to education, access to quality education for all, life-long learning, and improving skills for employability. The UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean provides policy advice and support for its Member States and Associate Members, capacity development, standard setting instruments, and dissemination of good practices through existing networks. In light of the regional challenges and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Education activities emphasize teachers' capacity building, promoting Technical and Vocational Education and Training, and inclusive education for all.
Natural Sciences
The Caribbean SIDS are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The adaptation to climate change effects and the effective management of the rich natural resources is among the priorities of the mandate of the UNESCO Natural Science sector in the Caribbean. The sector promotes dialogue between scientists and policymakers; aims to mobilize scientific and traditional knowledge and policy for sustainable development, builds capacity in science and acts as a platform for sharing ideas and standard setting. Cross-cutting themes include Ocean Sciences, Technology, Science and Innovation Systems, Biodiversity protection and disaster risk reduction.
Social and Human Sciences
The Social and Human Sciences Sector promotes the development and use of knowledge that contributes to a better understanding and management of social transformations. The focus is on improving the link between research and policymaking, including formulation, monitoring, and evaluation of development policies and processes, dissemination of research findings, best practices, and capacity building. The Cluster Office is committed to achieving gender equality and equity through sport, promoting the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities, and fostering meaningful youth engagement for peace and security in all spheres of life for a sustainable future for all.
Culture
Culture is an enabler and driver of development processes in the countries and territories in the Cluster. The role of the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean is a crucial one considering the uniqueness and richness of this region's cultural heritage. The overarching goal is to foster cultural diversity, promote intercultural dialogue and establish a culture of peace in the region as catalyzer for sustainable development. In light of the challenges of the Caribbean SIDS, the Office’s activities focus on pre- and post-disaster assessments on cultural heritage to prevent, safeguard and restore tangible and intangible heritage, to prevent the loss of Caribbean identities.
Communication and Information
UNESCO’s activities for Communication and Information aim to foster the free flow of ideas, universal access to information, and building inclusive knowledge societies through the democratization of institutions and actors in the region. The development of Caribbean media enhances the freedom of expression and contributes to poverty eradication, peace, and sustainable development. UNESCO trains media professionals in reporting on global challenges, such as climate change, building up the skills of Caribbean Youth in digital development for employability, and improving their information infrastructures - media, libraries, archives, information services and networks.