Social policy
Our vision: Inclusive and shock-responsive social protection systems and services to free children from poverty.
Challenge
Despite having a well-established national social protection programme that critically contributes to poverty reduction efforts, Jamaica still needs to address gaps in meeting the needs of children, especially, the most disadvantaged. COVID-19 has highlighted the continued need to strengthen the system to be more child-sensitive, inclusive and shock-responsive to address sudden emergencies, such as the pandemic.
In addition, significant gaps remain in access to quality basic services – especially for the poorest families and children with disabilities – as public investment is constrained by diminishing fiscal space, suboptimal allocation of resources across and within line ministries, inefficiencies in service delivery, as well as the lack of timely disaggregated data for evidence-based decision making and advocacy.
Estimates show that 15.7 per cent of children live in poverty which is higher than the general population of persons living in poverty. The prevalence of extreme poverty among children (4.3 per cent) and adolescents (4.1 per cent) is also higher than the national rate (3.5 per cent). Extraneous shocks, such as COVID-19, will have long-lasting socioeconomic impacts on Jamaica’s children, particularly among lower-income families and female-headed households.
Solutions
Our Social Policy programme aims to ensure that children have increased access to adequately resourced, quality and shock-responsive social services adapted to the needs of families by:
1. Enhancing the social protection system to be more shock- and gender- responsive, accessible and adapted to the needs of families in poverty and/or with children with disabilities and children of adolescent mothers.
2. Strengthening the capacity of the Government to monitor and analyze the efficiency, efficacy, and effectiveness of public investment in children and adolescents.
To achieve these goals, we work with various partners on different strategies such as:
Shock-responsive social protection systems: Invest in strengthening social protection systems to become more shock-responsive, accessible and adapted to the needs of families in poverty, families of children with disabilities and adolescent parents, taking into consideration exposure to climate and environmental hazards.
Public finance for children: Make domestic resources work smarter for children by strengthening the Government’s budgeting transparency, monitoring its investment in key sectors for children, using diagnostic tools to identify and remove spending bottlenecks, and advocating for greater and more efficient, effective and equitable spending for children.
Our partners
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
Partner Type: International financial institution
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has been working to support the development agenda through addressing constraints to economic growth with a focus on improving public sector management; increasing private sector productivity and growth; and reinforcing human capital protection and development. The IDB supports research and diagnostics on education financing and is a strategic partner with UNICEF.
Ministry of Education and Youth
Partner Type: Government
The MOEY is responsible for providing quality education to the population and is one of the main drivers for national development and achieving education and reduction of violence against children targets related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Vision 2030 targets.
Ministry of Finance and Public Service
Partner Type: Government
The MoFPS has overall responsibility for developing Government’s fiscal and economic policy framework; collecting and allocating public revenues and playing an important role in the socio-economic development of the country by creating a society in which each citizen has every prospect of a better quality of life.
Ministry of Health and Wellness
Partner Type: Government
The MOHW is responsible for providing quality health services and promoting healthy lifestyles and environmental practices. The Ministry, together with its Regional Health Authorities (RHAs), Agencies and related organizations make up the public health system and are responsible for health care delivery across the island.
Ministry of Labour and Social Security
Partner Type: Government
The MLSS is responsible for delivering effective social protection programmes for the vulnerable in an efficient manner while promoting a national culture of productivity in the workplace. A core area of focus for the MLSS is the effective management of social protection programmes including those for groups with special needs, to include households below the poverty line and persons with disabilities.
Planning Institute of Jamaica
Partner Type: Government
An agency of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service (MoFPS), the PIOJ coordinates the development of policies, plans and programmes for the sustainable development of Jamaica. Therefore, PIOJ plays an important role in advising the government on major issues related to economic, environmental and social policy and managing external cooperation agreements and programmes.
Statistical Institute of Jamaica
Partner Type: Government
The main functions of STATIN are to collect, compile, analyze, abstract and publish statistical information relating to the commercial, industrial, social, economic and general activities and condition of the people of Jamaica.
World Bank Group
Partner Type: International financial Institution
The WBG has contributed to the development of policy and investment financing in Jamaica. It continues to collaborate with UNICEF to enhance the government of Jamaica’s capacity and effectiveness toward strengthening public investments, especially for children.