Social Protection Strategy 2014.

The Social Protection Strategy is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach. The objectives of the Strategy are: (I) economic and social development through a structured approach to the provision of social protection interventions, (II) strengthened legislative and policy frameworks, resource mobilization, programming and service delivery for social protection, (III) participation of all stakeholders in creating responsive programmes and initiatives for social protection, and (IV) safety net for vulnerable or disadvantaged individuals.
Food security will be ensured by providing sufficient quantity of nutritious food to all at all times through increased domestic production and sustainable food import. In addition to that, access to resources to acquire adequate and affordable food at all times will be provided to all individuals. Food production by schools, community groups and households will be expanded and low-cost vegetable sources of protein will be included in national food security plans. Moreover, nutrition education programmes will also be greatly expanded towards enhancing healthy lifestyles for the entire population.
A comprehensive social protection system will be established by taking into account environmental factors, food and nutrition security, poverty reduction, and response to crises and emerging vulnerabilities. A Social Protection Committee will be established to incorporate social protection into all relevant sectors. The operations of all public sector social workers will be coordinated to clarify roles and responsibilities in the field. Moreover, the relationships with the voluntary sector will be strengthened. Strong communication flow will be established between fieldwork and policymaking to ensure full information in the field and evidence-based policy development. A life-cycle approach will be used for social protection. Public awareness will be raised on the value of good parenting skills and practices; the importance of human capital development including health, education, nutrition; recognition of personal responsibility for social security participation; the need for social risk management to protect against threats to well-being; and the importance of environmental stewardship to the nation. Social support and guidance will be provided for identified “at risk” or vulnerable households. The protection of children will be strengthened including prevention of child labour. Access to health and education services, food security, and income guarantees will be provided to the youth, the families of children identified as needy. The income security of workers will be protected in both formal and informal economies through the institution or facilitation of (un)employment insurance schemes. Care and provision will be ensured for indigent and destitute persons incapable of labour market participation. Various forms of public-private partnerships will be established to support the institutional care of the elderly wards of the state and to provide quality and non-discriminatory care to all clients. Geographic targeting will be used to address issues affecting physical infrastructure and environmental security of households. Environmental protection will be incorporated into social protection system by promoting environmentally sound and risk sensitive practices and avoiding negative environmental impacts from livelihood practices.
The National Social Protection Committee will be established to ensure coherence and consistency in the nation’s social protection policies and intervention. This Committee will be chaired by the Planning Institute of Jamaica which is the main advisory body of the government on social policy in general. The National Social Protection Committee shall be responsible for development and coordination of the monitoring and evaluation plan and for providing oversight for implementation of the M&E. The Social Protection and Gender Unit of Planning Institute of Jamaica shall have the mandate to prepare the necessary documentation in this regard. In this regard, the Social Protection and Gender Unit of Planning Institute shall critically analyse information from all the stakeholders, consolidate that information into comprehensive, integrated reports and provide timely feedback from the Committee to the implementing agencies and the Government.