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Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – September 18, 2025 — The Caribbean and Latin America are standing at a crossroads. Today, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched its highly anticipated 2025 Regional Human Development Report in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The report, titled “Under Pressure: Recalibrating the Future of Human Development,” sets out a bold new framework for navigating the mounting uncertainties confronting the region.

The high-level event was hosted by the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, and attended by members of Cabinet, civil society, academia, and international development partners.

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Rising Challenges, Rising Calls for Resilience

The UNDP report highlights a stark reality: the Caribbean and Latin America are increasingly under pressure from overlapping crises. From the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to more frequent and devastating climate events, from crushing debt and economic instability to deep polarization and inequality—the region faces a perfect storm of vulnerabilities.

Yet, within these challenges lies an opportunity. The report positions resilience—the capacity to anticipate, absorb, and adapt to shocks—as the heart of a new development agenda.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar struck a hopeful but urgent tone in her address:

“Why should geography determine dignity? The Caribbean knows vulnerability—but we also know resilience. We know how to rise, and we must rise together. Not just for ourselves but for the generations to come. This report shines a light on the path forward. It challenges us to recalibrate our development model—to make it more inclusive, more just, and more future-proof.”

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The Three I’s of Resilience

The UNDP report calls for a new development playbook rooted in what it terms the three I’s of resilience:

• Instruments – smarter financial tools and policies to protect people and anticipate risks.
• Institutions – transparent, inclusive systems that can respond to crises and rebuild civic trust.
• Infrastructure – resilient physical and digital systems that expand access and withstand shocks.

Mischelle Muschett, UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasized that resilience must be deliberately built:

“Building resilience is not optional—it is a necessity. It requires investing in people, strengthening institutions, and reimagining the social contract for a new era of uncertainty.”

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Digital Divide and Human Development

The report highlights a mixed trajectory for the Caribbean’s Human Development Index (HDI), which has grown steadily over past decades but slowed after the pandemic. While digital technologies are hailed as a cornerstone for building resilience, the report warns that fewer than 4 in 10 Caribbean households have access to a computer.

True digital resilience, it argues, goes beyond connectivity—it requires inclusive digital ecosystems: secure digital IDs, interoperable platforms, affordable devices, and strong digital literacy, especially in rural and marginalized communities.

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A Renewed Social Contract

At its core, the UNDP’s roadmap calls for a renewed social contract across the Caribbean—one that reduces inequality, strengthens civic trust, and protects freedoms fundamental to human development: the right to live healthy lives, to learn, to earn, and to fully participate in society.

Despite the daunting pressures, the report carries a strong message of hope. It celebrates the courage and innovation of Caribbean people and insists that the future is not a linear path, but a shared journey of resilience across generations, sectors, and borders.

The digital edition of the report offers interactive resources, country-level data, animations, and even an AI-powered chatbot for quick consultations.

For the Caribbean, “Under Pressure” is more than a report—it is a call to action. A reminder that resilience is not only about weathering storms, but about building a stronger, fairer, and future-proof region.

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