Remarks of the Resident Coordinator on the Partnership Agreement Signing Ceremony with UNICEF and Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities

• Thank you, Master of Ceremony Andre Miller, UNICEF Jamaica
• Vanna Lawrence, Programme Manager, representing Ambassador Marianne Van Steen, Head of the European Union Delegation to Jamaica
• Collin Ebanks, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD)
• Dr Christine Hendricks, Executive Director, JCPD and other members of The Council
• Olga Isaza, Country Representative, UNICEF Jamaica and all my UN colleagues present,
• Guests, Everyone,

MSDCF Context

In 2021, Jamaica recommitted, alongside member states and the regional UN family, to equality, wellbeing and leaving no one behind. Together we developed a road map we call the Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, commonly called the MSDCF.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the MSDCF rose in value. You see, there’s nothing like a crisis, to put already-vulnerable groups, at risk of being left behind. This is why, in the height of the pandemic, UNICEF, WFP and UN Women, came together to develop a joint programme that would seek to ensure that Jamaicans would have equitable access to and be able to utilize universal, quality and shock-responsive, social protection, education, health and care services (Outcome 4 MSDCF).

Joint programme objectives

As such, this joint programme was created - “Modernization of the Social Protection Systems in Jamaica, Towards an Adaptive, Shock Responsive, Inclusive System.”

Already, the programme is responding to Jamaica’s national development priorities.

We are:

1. Enhancing payment processes within Jamaica's social protection system, making them more efficient, effective, and accessible.
2. Strengthening institutional capacity for evidence-based emergency expansion of social protection programmes for the most vulnerable.
3. Ensuring that Information systems used by the Social Protection system are integrated to support increased coverage and coordination.
4. Working to close gender gaps on the policy and legislative frameworks of the social protection system and strengthening the responsiveness of social protection service delivery, for both women and men.

The UNICEF and Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities Partnership

Today’s partnership agreement-signing represents another bold and necessary step in advancing the objectives of this joint programme. Social protection, poverty, zero hunger, and reducing the impacts of natural hazards are all interlinked. Persons living with disabilities are at a greater risk of being impacted and falling into poverty when disasters hit.

Unfortunately, friends I must tell you, that as citizens of Small Island Development States, there is a greater likelihood for disasters to hit. And, when they do, ALL our people should have equitable access to preparedness and protection measures.

This partnership with the JCPD is part of a larger agenda to increase social protection coverage, ensure they are more adaptive and shock responsive and able to reach these key communities faster. In doing so, we reduce their overall risks and help them recover faster in a crisis.

Thanking the Donors

These efforts would not be possible without the kind support of our donor partners.

Allow me to thank the donors of the Joint SDG Fund, largely represented by the European Union today. Ms Lawrence, please convey our gratitude to the Ambassador and her delegation and express our commitments to catalysing EU contributions to ensure the meaningful engagement of people with disabilities within our societies. I must also recognize the Government and people of Canada for their support through Global Affairs Canada.

Thank you, Olga and your UNICEF team, for ensuring that children living with disabilities and their families have a greater chance of being caught by social safety nets, not only within a crisis, but if ever and whenever they need.

Thank you to the Council for your continued partnership with the UN and for your efforts in supporting Jamaicans living with disabilities. I also commend your own initiative and interests in building your own capacity to better serve your communities. In this regard we are happy to learn from and partner with you.

We all have different roles to play, but the mission is the same, to ensure that the sustainable development goals work for everyone and that Jamaica is the place of choice to live, work, raise family and do business – regardless of ability or disability.

Today we are steps closer to better upholding the values of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and I am happy that through UNICEF, the UN in Jamaica is supporting an enabling environment for the principles of Jamaica’s new Disability Act.

The UN is proud to be a partner in this work knowing very well that “Societies will never achieve the SDGs without the full participation of everyone, including people with disabilities.”

Thank you.

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