The Intersection of Gender, Culture and Education: Jamaica: The Next 50 Years!

Between 2006 and 2025, over 1,600 journalists were killed around the world, with close to 6 out of 7 cases remaining judicially unresolved, according to the UNESCO Observatory of Killed Journalists. Impunity leads to more killings and is often a symptom of worsening conflict and the breakdown of law and judicial systems. In recent years, declining press freedom worldwide has exposed journalists to growing threats—including escalating attacks, judicial harassment through Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation (SLAPPs), arbitrary detention, intimidation, and murder—making independent journalism increasingly dangerous. Remembrance and the Call to Accountability The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI) is observed annually on November 2 to break the cycle of violence against media workers and dismantle the global culture of impunity. The United Nations General Assembly established this day in 2013 to address the staggering reality that nearly 90%...

Education is frequently marketed as the great equalizer a universal currency that guarantees upward mobility, civic engagement, and long-term security. Yet, this premise is increasingly proving counterfeit. According to the 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report by UNESCO, 273 million children and youth worldwide are out of school, a staggering figure representing roughly one in six school-age individuals. While these global figures outline a massive crisis of access, they fail to capture the subtler, more insidious reality happening inside classrooms: a form of "educational apartheid" characterized by profound disengagement, systemic alienation, and a widening chasm between what formal schooling offers and what street-level cultures reward. The Local Reality: Pathways and Foundational Gaps . This global disconnect manifests sharply in local contexts like Jamaica's educational landscape. Upon the release of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination results, stud...

3.4 billion people worldwide lack access to adequate housing, secure tenure, basic services, or affordable living conditions, including over 1 billion people living in informal settlements and slums. As urban populations rapidly grow, access to adequate housing is becoming a defining challenge for cities worldwide. Poor housing conditions, overcrowding, barriers to accessibility, and exposure to heat, cold, air pollution, and environmental hazards can negatively affect health across a person's life course. At the same time, investing in healthy housing can generate significant benefits for individuals, communities, and health systems. Globally, "housing for all" has become a catchphrase, yet urban planners and those tasked with providing affordable, sustainable housing are falling below the standard. Sadly, the "tenement yard" or "big yard" remains a reality for many residents, bringing along numerous social issues. Housing is far more than just a roof...

Today, October 29, is World Stroke Day . With the global theme "Every Minute Counts, " there has never been a more critical time to educate ourselves. Did you know that 1 in 4 people will experience a stroke in their lifetime? Over 12 million people suffer a stroke each year, yet up to 90% of strokes are entirely preventable. Public education is our strongest tool to change these statistics. A stroke is a serious, life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to your brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in your brain bursts. When a stroke happens, brain cells begin to die in minutes. Understanding the different forms it can take is the first step in saving a life. The Main Types of Stroke . Ischemic Stroke: Making up about 85% to 87% of all cases, this is the most common type. It happens when a blood clot or fatty deposit blocks an artery carrying blood and vital oxygen to the brain Hemorrhagic Stroke: This occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks o...

Think about the last time you watched a piece of historical footage or listened to a decades-old recording. Maybe it was a political speech, a clip of a forgotten musical tradition, or a vintage broadcast of everyday life in a city halfway across the globe. Did you feel an instant connection to the past? That is the power of audiovisual heritage. There is a feeling of nostalgia when we listen to or watch recordings of the past. But this heritage is incredibly fragile. Every day, thousands of unique recordings face the threat of physical decay, neglect, and technological obsolescence. Safeguarding fragile audiovisual formats is vital to preserve human history, cultural identity, and collective memory. Audiovisual materials capture the true voices, sights, and sounds of past events. They embody unique community traditions, oral histories, languages, and artistic expressions. Indigenous languages, local music, and community stories live inside these unique recordings. In 2005, the Unit...

Those of us who do not stutter may think that stuttering is not a big deal. Yet, for those who stutter, it is a huge deal. Young children get teased for their speech. School-age children may not participate in classroom activities. Employers may choose not to hire someone who stutters. The British Stammering Association defines stammering, otherwise known as stuttering, as a neurological condition that makes it physically hard to speak. Someone who stammers may repeat sounds or syllables, make sounds longer, get stuck on certain words or have words that don’t come out at all, despite knowing what they want to say. More than 70 million people around the world stutter. This means that while talking, they repeat syllables, sounds or words. People who stutter also prolong sounds or experience unwanted interruptions in their speech. They know what they want to say, but are unable to produce a normal flow of speech. This disorder usually affects children between the ages of 2 and 6. This is ...

Culture is never static. The Jamaican culture is as diverse as it is misunderstood. Brand Jamaica is renowned globally and works extremely well in attracting millions of tourists to our shores annually. Whether it is our language, dance, food or our social norms, Jamaicans stand out in any crowd. UNESCO defines culture as the collective beliefs, values, customs, and practices that characterize a particular group or society. It encompasses language, art, religion, and social norms, shaping how individuals interact with one another and perceive the world. A society therefore must be intentional in preserving and passing on their culture. We cannot take our foot off the pedal of socialization. While the process of socialization should begin at home we are mindful that many families are dysfunctional and the education system becomes the primary agent of socialization. The education system is often expounded as the vehicle to pass on the values and attitudes of the society. However, our s...