The Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services has provided a one-off grant of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) to the Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CADV) to support its Colours of Peace: Empowering Young Men to Prevent Gender Based Violence programme. The grant was presented by Minister of the People, Social Development and Family Services, the Honourable Vandana Mohit, to Ms Tamika Bernard, Social Worker, CADV, on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at the Ministry’s Head Office, St. Vincent Street, Port of Spain.

The planned eight-week programme, which begins in October 2026, will engage fifteen (15) young men between the ages of thirteen (13) and nineteen (19), in psycho-educational sessions and creative expression activities, designed to promote positive masculinity, emotional awareness, healthy relationship dynamics and non-violent conflict resolution. Participants will also explore the causes and impacts of gender based violence while developing positive coping strategies and encouraging conversations on respect, equality and violence prevention within their families and communities.

Minister Mohit praised the organisation’s decision to focus on young men and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting similar initiatives. “I am particularly pleased to support this initiative because one of the things I have observed since assuming office, is the limited number of programmes specifically focused on men. We cannot address gender based violence without engaging men and boys as part of the solution. Colours of Peace is an important step in that direction, and I look forward to increasing the Ministry’s support for similar initiatives. I wish the Coalition every success with the implementation of this programme,” the Minister stated.