On 23 September 2026, the Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services formally appointed members of the Guy Talk Trinidad and Tobago Steering Committee, establishing a multi-stakeholder mechanism to guide a new programme focused on male engagement, healthy relationships and social support.
Guy Talk is a 30-day WhatsApp-based programme being implemented through the Ministry’s Gender Affairs Division with technical and financial support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). It focuses on issues including healthy masculinity, emotional regulation, respectful communication, conflict resolution, consent and help-seeking.
The Steering Committee includes representatives from several government agencies, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, the University of the West Indies and the Single Fathers Association of Trinidad and Tobago, providing civil society with formal representation in the programme’s implementation. The Committee will provide strategic guidance, strengthen referral and safeguarding mechanisms, support implementation and contribute lessons for future programming.
This event has a positive impact on the enabling environment, particularly on State openness and responsiveness to civil society. Civil society is formally represented on the Guy Talk Steering Committee through the Single Fathers Association of Trinidad and Tobago, alongside government agencies, academia and the IDB.
The programme also has relevance to equal participation of all groups in society, as its focus on healthy masculinity, consent and respectful relationships seeks to address harmful gender norms and some of the underlying drivers of gender-based violence. In doing so, it may contribute to safer and more inclusive social spaces, particularly for women and girls.
Importantly, Minister Vandana Mohit explicitly recognised this collaborative approach, stating that Guy Talk demonstrates what can be achieved when “Government, civil society, academia and development partners work together”. This publicly recognises civil society as a legitimate partner in addressing social issues and gives civil-society actors an opportunity to contribute to programme implementation and future learning.
If this type of multi-stakeholder approach is sustained and replicated in other policy areas, it could support stronger and more regular collaboration between Government and civil society.