Remarks from the Resident Coordinator on World Food Programme’s Shock-Responsive Social Protection Training As part of the Joint SDG Fund Joint Programme on the Modernization of the Social Protection Systems in Jamaica

Ladies and gentlemen,

Special guests,

Good morning.

Greetings

I bring you greetings on behalf of the entire United Nations Country Team in Jamaica and the Joint SDG Fund at UN headquarters, which makes this programme possible. I am truly happy that you have joined us to kick off and participate in this critical training component being implemented by the World Food Programme of the United Nations.  

Supporting Jamaica’s Priorities

In 2020, as it managed the most devasting pandemic in modern history, the Government of Jamaica renewed its commitment to reform and strengthen Jamaica’s social protection safety net in a way that prioritizes the protection of the most vulnerable, especially rural-area women and girls and Jamaicans living with disabilities. The UN joined the Government in that commitment.

As such, Minister Charles, the UN has been working alongside your Ministry to implement a programme that is responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable. This week, we support you in advancing promise, by injecting another element of this $1.4 Million U-S Dollar investment which seeks to “Modernize Social Protection Systems, Towards an Adaptive, Shock Responsive and Inclusive System.”

High-level Highlights

Already, the programme is responding to Jamaica’s national development priorities in disaster management and social protection. This week’s training of technical teams will further optimize Government’s capacity to consistently reach its most vulnerable citizens, especially in times of crises and disaster. 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. We are – Ensuring that the information systems used by the Social Protection systems are well integrated to support increased coverage and coordination.
4. We are also working to close gender gaps in the policy and legislative frameworks of the social protection system and strengthen the responsiveness of social protection service delivery – in a way that leaves no one behind.

Alignment with the Cooperation Framework

Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, in times of crisis our most vulnerable groups are also the most at-risk groups of being left behind. This is why the United Nations Cooperation Framework is a partnership that ensures that Jamaicans will have equitable access and be able to utilize universal, quality and shock-responsive, social protection – when they need it in times of peril or peace.

This joint programme seeks to do just that, by leveraging the best technical expertise of the WFP, UN Women and UNICEF who serve as the implementing agencies of the broader joint programme.

This week’s training by WFP seeks to:

• Raise awareness of the key principles of shock-responsive social protection as well as the links between disaster risk management and social protection,
• Build participant capacity to design and implement shock-responsive social protection interventions in the event of an emergency,
• Develop tools and protocols for emergency expansion of social protection measures in response to shocks and hazards,
• AND developing protocols for rapid disbursement of grants in response to such shocks and hazards

This training is certainly building on the lessons we have learnt from the COVID-19 experience and so I earnestly encourage and implore your full participation in this week’s training programme.

Thanking the Donors

Finally allow me, on behalf of the Joint SDG Fund, to thank the donors who have made this programme possible: The European Union as well as the individual countries of Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, The Republic of Korea, Portugal, Norway and Sweden.

Thanking the Minister/ Government

Minister, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is integral to the success of this programme and so I’m particularly grateful to you for your presence today, which, for us, signals your commitment to our partnership in this Joint Programme. Please, also convey our gratitude to Minister Desmond McKenzie whose Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development continues to be instrumental in other areas of this programme as well.

Closing

I thank you all, again, for your participation.

Allow me to renew to you – the People and Government of Jamaica – the unwavering partnership of the UN system and our commitment to supporting Jamaica’s inclusive and clear vision for sustainable development.

Thank you.