2021’s Top 4 Lessons
in growth & resilience
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Listening to Our People & Partners |
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UNDP Resident Representative Denise E Antonio (left) outlines her Top 4 moments in 2021 which hold powerful potential to impact resilience and growth. Published in the Sunday Gleaner of 26 December 2021. |
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In 2021, we witnessed moments that are significant enough to alter the trajectory of a sector’s energy bill or to mark a shift into a resilient development pathway through policy mandates. The UNDP Multi-Country Office in Jamaica has been able to celebrate such moments in our programme interventions in 2021, due in large measure to the hard work, investments and energy of our partners in government, development, civil society and communities. But then there are moments that must be ranked as special because they contain powerful potential to strengthen growth prospects and our strategic response to crisis. |
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Have you downloaded Annual Report 2020? |
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An unforgettable year marked by the
advent of unprecedented global crisis
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As UNDP counts down to the release of Annual Report 2021, we pause to look back at an unforgettable 2020. Browse the pages of UNDP Multi Country Office in Jamaica's Annual Report 2020 - the year that marked the advent of the global pandemic, COVID19. We recall next level innovation and crisis response amidst lockdowns & curfews, and how our partner Governments, agencies & groups in Jamaica and The Bahamas defied the odds. UNDP was honoured to be counted among many international development partners supporting the pandemic response. |
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UNDP-funded COVID-19 Impact Study
identifies most vulnerable groups in Jamaica
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A comprehensive study of the Impact of COVID-19 in Jamaica is recommending a suite of solutions to reduce the vulnerability of the most impacted Jamaicans. The study, titled Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of COVID 19 and Policy Options for Jamaica, was funded and commissioned by UNDP and carried out by the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) and Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI) one year after the advent of the pandemic. Findings, based on interviews with 3194 respondents and secondary research was unveiled in late November 2021. |
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Get Your copy of the Impact Assessment - Jamaica |
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Click the image to download your digital copy of 'Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of COVID19 and Policy Options in Jamaica'. |
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- GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE - |
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- EU-UN Spotlight Initiative -
More ‘prescribed persons’ should be
legally obligated to report child abuse
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Spotlight Initiative asks for coaches, church workers
and church leaders to be included in the Law
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"Expanding the list of prescribed persons would require an amendment to the Child Care and Protection Act" - SI legal consultant Tania Chambers in her presentation to the SI’s roundtable 'Red Alert: Arresting the Child Sexual Abuse Emergency' |
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The European Union-United Nations’ Spotlight Initiative (SI) is calling for an expansion in the list of prescribed persons legally obligated to report child abuse, an increase in minimum penalties for predators, and therapeutic interventions to treat both victims and perpetrators. A prescribed person is someone who by virtue of employment or occupation has a responsibility to discharge a duty of care towards a child. In law, they are held to a higher standard of accountability than other adults. UNDP is honoured to lead the legislative reform pillar under the European Union-United Nations’ Spotlight Initiative (SI). |
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Video – RED ALERT Roundtable
Arresting the Child Sexual Abuse Emergency
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The Roundtable was also addressed by Warren Thompson, Deputy Registrar of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency; Professor Paula Morgan University Director of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies; Tania Chambers, Spotlight legal consultant; Jayson Downer, Founder of Men of God Against Violence and Abuse, and Joy Crawford, Executive Director of Eve for Life. Moderator was Emprezz Golding, gender and child rights activist and talk show host. |
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Red Alert: Arresting the Child Sexual Abuse Emergency, discussed the urgent need to strengthen key provisions under the Child Care and Protection and Offences against the Person Acts, and also reference the Sexual Offences, Child Pornography and Cybercrimes Acts. Issues related to strengthening effectiveness of the law also featured. The roundtable was headlined by Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon Robert Nesta Morgan
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LISTEN to the Survivors of child sexual abuse
- Eve For Life's Joy Crawford
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Joy Crawford, Executive Director of Eve for Life |
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"Keep the survivor at the center of all interventions addressing sexual violence, declared Joy Crawford, Executive Director of Eve for Life . “Nothing for us without us. We are the survivors, and we want more survivors to be able to survive and not just to survive but to become overcomers. This event will reassure the survivors who want to be heard.”
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Youth Minister announces stronger penalties for child sexual abuse, at Red Alert Roundtable |
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Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon Robert Nesta Morgan in his keynote address announced that government is seeking to make provisions for the creation of an offence of predatory sexual assault and its incorporation into relevant legislation for the protection of Jamaica’s most vulnerable. He explained that this would penalize any adult who engages in acts amounting to grievous sexual assault with a vulnerable victim such as a child under 12 or someone with a mental disorder. He said government intends for this offence to carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. |
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EU-UN Spotlight Initiative supports expansion of Domestic Violence Intervention Centres (DVICs) |
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The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has expanded its Domestic Violence Intervention Centre (DVIC) network to an additional six police stations located in known hotspots for domestic violence, with the support of the Spotlight Initiative (SI), a European Union/United Nations partnership. The new DVICs are to be located at police stations in Greater Portmore in St Catherine; Gayle in St Mary; Alexandria in St Ann; Santa Cruz in St Elizabeth; Hayes in Clarendon; and Negril in Westmoreland. UNDP is honoured to lead the process on behalf of the SI, in partnership with the JCF. |
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Mobile unit and GBV mapping coming to strengthen response of Domestic Violence Intervention Centres |
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Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, the Hon Olivia Grange was addressing the handing over ceremony of six additional DVICs to the Jamaica Constabulary Force from the European Union and United Nations’ Spotlight Initiative, committed to continuing consultations with the Ministry of National Security |
The Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport have signaled their intention to advance talks on a mobile response unit and gender-based violence mapping to strengthen the reach and impact of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Domestic Violence Intervention Centre (DVIC) network. Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, the Hon Olivia Grange committed to continuing consultations with the Ministry of National Security with a view to: Incorporating a mobile response unit to strengthen DVIC response; and creating Gender Based Violence mappings from daily crime reports from police divisions. |
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About the Domestic Violence Intervention Centres - WATCH |
On location at 10 police stations, but set part from its main hub, Domestic Violence Intervention Centres aka the Jamaica Constabulary Force's #DVICare, offer confidentiality, comfort and empathy to survivors of Domestic Violence.
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The Roundtable was addressed by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, Hon Olivia Grange; State Minister Hon. Alando Terrelonge; Principal Director in the Ministry, Sharon Coburn Robinson; Jamaica Constabulary Force Inspector Jacqueline Dillon; and Woman Inc Acting Executive Director, Joyce Hewett. |
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WATCH Reclaim Your Power Virtual Roundtable on Domestic Violence |
Spotlight Initiative's Roundtable on Domestic Violence - Reclaim Your Power - was convened on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW) on 25 November and at the start of the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. The virtual event presented proposals for strengthening the Domestic Violence Act and premiered a Public Service Announcement on how to access the Jamaica Constabulary Force's network of Domestic Violence Intervention Centres. |
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Campaign Launched to help women locate Domestic Violence Intervention Centres |
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An actor plays the part of a battered woman seeking help, in the Public Service Announcement (PSA) |
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The European Union-United Nations Spotlight Initiative has launched a multimedia campaign promoting the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Domestic Violence Intervention Centres to support greater access by women and men in need of help. The Video and Radio Public Service Announcement (PSA), produced with actors playing the roles of victim and concerned friend, gives details on how to access location details and contact numbers of the 10 DVICs. The PSA also addresses the issue of confidentiality and the perception that the Police Force is not empathetic and helpful to victims of domestic violence. |
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An actor plays the concerned friend horrified by her friend's bruises - PSA |
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How to access a Domestic Violence Intervention Centre - PSA |
Domestic Violence Intervention Centres are located at 10 police stations across Jamaica, providing life-saving help to those who are being abused by their partners. Here's how to quickly locate the one you need. Share to help someone in crisis before it's too late.
1. Go to jcf.gov.jm | Resources | Domestic Violence Intervention Centres OR
2. Call or walk into any police station and ask to be referred to the nearest DVIC.
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- CLIMATE & DISASTER RESILIENCE - |
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Featuring detailed reports, interviews & tons
of photos in our exclusive story on Exposure
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Last quarter we brought news that health sector energy bills are projected to decline because of a GEF-funded project; now we go behind the scenes with interviews and detailed reports to show how Sun Power & LED retrofits in six Jamaican hospitals are lighting the way for lower energy bills & freeing up fiscal space for national priorities. |
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UNDP's Frankie the Dino campaign goes viral
with a message about fossil fuel subsidies
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Frankie knows a thing or 2 about extinction. Watch
his impassioned warning to earth at UN HQ
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Frankie the Dino storms UN HQ in this Video PSA produced by UNDP HQ and has a humorous moment with a UN staffer before taking over the podium. WATCH |
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The world spends an astounding US$423 billion annually to subsidize fossil fuels for consumers – oil, electricity that is generated by the burning of other fossil fuels, gas, and coal. This is four times the amount being called for to help poor countries tackle the climate crisis. To spotlight the hugely negative effects fossil fuel subsidies have on people and planet, UNDP has produced an engaging short film as part of a new campaign in which one of the world’s most well-known extinct animals, the dinosaur, gives a speech to the UN General Assembly urging world leaders to shift away from fossil fuel subsidies and “Don’t Choose Extinction.” |
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Explore new sustainable tourism
models as part of COVID recovery
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The COVID-19 pandemic presents tourism-based economies like Jamaica with an opportunity to develop a more diversified, inclusive and sustainable tourism model centred on empowered and resilient tourism entrepreneurs from the Medium Small and Micro Enterprise (MSME) sector. UNDP’s Deputy Director of the Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, Linda Maguire proposed this new paradigm while addressing a virtual dialogue on ‘Financial Resilience for Tourism Entrepreneurs’ co-hosted by UNDP, the Government of Jamaica and EU LAC Foundation in November 2021. |
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Climate Change & Resilience - 1 of 4
Priorities for new UNDP Country Programme
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UNDP Resident Representative, Denise E Antonio |
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"One of the priority areas of our Country Programme Document (CPD) 2022-2026 will focus on Climate Change and Resilience. Specifically, we are committed to upscaling our efforts under our current CPD by supporting the government with strengthening policy and legislative frameworks in key sectors; promoting low carbon solutions through the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies; and developing nature-based solutions to strengthen local climate change adaptation capacities. UNDP will also continue to support Jamaica with meeting their national and international climate change obligations and introduce innovative solutions such as blended financing mechanism to advance nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation at the sectoral and community levels." UNDP Resident Representative Denise E Antonio at Panel Discussion for World Habitat Day, October4, 2021, hosted by the then Ministry of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change.
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Sexual Violence Against Children |
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RED ALERT for Law reform, Intervention & Cultural Change
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SI Legal Consultant Tania Chambers in an Op Ed to The Gleaner called for legal reform, strengthening effectiveness of the law and cultural change to address deeply entrenched myths and misconceptions driving the abuse. |
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Spotlight Initiative's Red Alert Roundtable spearheaded by UNDP, sounded the alarm about child sexual abuse and made the case for law reform and cultural change. In a Gleaner Op Ed, SI Legal Consultant Tania Chambers wrote: "Law reform is a good start, but concomitant actions are essential to strengthen impact. We must consider a tripartite approach that combines legal reform with strengthening effectiveness of the laws, while tackling the sub-culture through social and behaviour change interventions. We can strengthen the law’s effectiveness by looking at the range of support systems that are in place for early detection and rehabilitation. We need to expand programmes that target sexually abused children for psychosocial intervention and therapeutic care."
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- THROWBACK VIDEO HIGHLIGHT - |
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WATCH: How Jamaican Farmers are getting
Climate-smart with a Weather Station
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Weather stations feed Key data to Jamaica's Meteorological Service, but farmers in Sawyers, part of Jamaica's Cockpit Country, are also using it to farm smartly. Watch Christina Sinclair of the Sawyers Local Forest Management Committee (LFMC) Benevolent Society how farmers are being climate-smart using technology that had been installed for a completely different purpose. Supported by the UNDP-implemented GEF Small Grants Programme.
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Subscribe to UNDP Photo Stories on the
world-renowned Exposures global platform
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CATCH UP WITH UNDP IN JAMAICA, BERMUDA, CAYMAN ISLANDS, THE BAHAMAS, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS
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BROWSE BEAUTIFUL PHOTO STORIES
'Inspiring stories dominated by beautiful photography, featuring partners & beneficiaries of projects supported by UNDP with funding from donor partners
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CATCH A PODCAST ON SOUNDCLOUD
Tune in to UNDP Multi Country Office's 'Action Nation', for interesting interviews from communities & experts sounding off on the development issues we care about.
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BROWSE BACK ISSUES OF 'ON TARGET' E-NEWS
We have an archive full of back issues of 'On Target'
e-newsletters from UNDP Multi Country Office in Jamaica. One click access.
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United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Multi Country Office -
serving Jamaica, Bermuda, Cayman Is., The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Is.
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United Nations Development Programme | Jamaica | 876 978 2390| undpnews.jm@undp.org | www.jm.undp.org |
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