AT THE start of a new year, many of us reset our goals, review our priorities, and make plans for what lies ahead. At the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC), the beginning of 2026 is also a good moment to gently remind the public of something we’ve shared before, but which remains just as important today: your right to equal treatment under the law.

To read more visit: Reminder of your right to equal opportunity - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Throughout 2025, the Equal Opportunity Commission has written consistently more than 13 fortnightly columns in the Newsday and has used this space to speak directly with the public about equality, dignity and fairness, not as abstract ideals, but as everyday realities that affect real lives.

To read more visit: Equality in focus: Reflections on year that was - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday 

TRINIDAD and Tobago joined the global community to honour Human Rights Day, which was celebrated on December 10. This significant day acknowledges one of the world's most influential commitments to dignity and equality – the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

To read more visit: Everyday essentials, rights: A call to equality - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

TRINIDAD and Tobago will join the global community in celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) on December 3. This year's UN theme, "Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress," calls nations to address existing social inequalities by creating accessible spaces which enable all people to participate with dignity.

To read more visit:  Inclusion: Path to social progress - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

NOVEMBER IS often called Movember, a month dedicated to raising awareness about men’s health, especially mental health, suicide prevention, and prostate and testicular cancer. It’s a time to remind ourselves that men’s well-being is not just a personal issue; it’s a social one that affects families, workplaces, and entire communities.

To read more visit: Men’s Mental Health Month: Equality conversation we need to have - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

`NOVEMBER 10 (today) is World Immunisation Day. This is not to be confused with World Immunisation Week which the World Health Organization observes on the last week of April every year. Both events have the same focus, which is to spread awareness about how vaccines prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Whichever is the correct day, it is useful to consider vaccinations in the broader context of discrimination. 

To read more visit: Immunisation and human rights - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Every few months our calendar reflects the beautiful diversity that defines us. We celebrate Divali, Christmas, Eid-ul-Fitr, Hosay, Emancipation Day, Phagwa, Spiritual Baptist Liberation Day, and Indian Arrival Day, among others. Each occasion brings its own rituals, colours, and meaning, but all share a common thread; they unite us as a people. In workplaces, schools, and communities we share in one another’s celebrations, tasting the food, exchanging greetings, and learning about traditions that may not be our own. That openness is what keeps the fabric of our nation strong.

To read more visit:Celebrating our diversity, strengthening our unity - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

EOC supports Jaipur Foot Centre in Trinidad and Tobago: Walking toward equality.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar that TT will soon establish a Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Centre is a powerful statement of equity, partnership, and inclusion. It reflects a deep understanding that equality is not achieved through words alone, but through action that restores independence and dignity to people whose lives have been disrupted by disability.

To read more visit: EOC supports Jaipur Foot Centre in Trinidad and Tobago: Walking toward equality - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

ON THE occasion of World Mental Health Day, observed annually on October 10, the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) of TT joins the global community in advocating for inclusive, equitable, and rights-based approaches to mental health.

People with disabilities, whether physical, sensory, intellectual, neurological, developmental or psychosocial are among the most marginalised populations in society and continue to face systemic and widespread discrimination.

To read more visit: Ending discrimination against people with disabilities in mental health - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

The Equal Opportunity Commission is proud to launch ECHO, our new quarterly magazine designed to keep you, our valued stakeholders, informed and engaged.

EACH year on September 8, the world celebrates International Literacy Day, a reminder that literacy is more than just reading and writing, it is a foundation for dignity, opportunity, and inclusion.

THE DECISION to wear one’s hair in a particular style is deeply personal, reflecting culture, heritage, religion and identity. For many, it is not just a matter of fashion, but an expression of who they are.

LAST MONTH, we took a moment to recognise a group that often goes unnoticed: public servants. Each year, June 23 is observed as United Nations Public Service Day, a date established by the UN General Assembly in 2002 to highlight the value and importance of public service in communities around the world.

FOR MANY people across TT, home is a place of comfort. But for those who live in so-called “hotspots,” their address alone can be a source of stigma and discrimination.