Caribbean

IRI is increasing youth leaders’ political participation and strengthening government accountability in the Caribbean by equipping youth with the capacity to develop and communicate policy solutions, as well as journalists with skills to carry out rigorous investigations on corruption.

Since 2021, IRI has worked to bolster the engagement of young leaders from Belize, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago by preparing them with the skills to develop policy solutions that address their community needs. IRI created the Caribbean Youth Democracy Lab, which provides space for young leaders to advocate for policy solutions.

The Caribbean Youth Democracy Lab trains youth on good governance, marginalized communities’ inclusion, leadership styles in the public sector, and analysis of the social and economic impact of public policies, among other skills. Youth leaders are provided the opportunity to present substantive policy proposals that address issues of concern to local and national officials, private sector organizations, and to participate in a regional exchange to share experiences and collaborate in cross-country initiatives.

Through training, mentoring, and exchange activities, IRI also strengthens the capacity of journalists and media outlets in the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and the Cayman Islands to produce high-quality investigative pieces exposing corruption. IRI is helping to develop a transnational network of journalists and justice sector actors who will support one another to increase government accountability. IRI supports dialogues and exchanges among justice sector actors and journalists to increase their awareness of the relevant information produced by each group, with the goal of encouraging engagement to improve investigations.