United Nations Jamaica 76th Anniversary

» Jamaica has implemented the Child Labour Risk Identification Model (CLRISK) developed by ILO/ECLAC to further analyse and interpret national data on child labour in the country after high rates of child labour were found in 2016 Jamaica Youth Activity Survey. » School closures and increases in poverty caused by the COVID-19 health crisis are threatening to push more children into child labour across the region, including Jamaica. » Jamaica remains committed to fighting the effects and long-term impact of the pandemic on child labour and will continue to partner with the ILO to achieve the goal of SDG Target 8.7 by 2025. WHAT PARTNERS ARE SAYING: “The Government of Jamaica has benefitted from ILO support to strengthen child labour enforcement mechanisms through labour inspection trainings and knowledge exchange during site visits, locally and internationally. We also hosted the Brazil-ILO South-South Cooperation Programme’s capacity building which included the participation of officials/ colleagues from The Bahamas and Guyana.” Sasha Deer-Gordon Director, Child Labour, MLSS. Win-Win: Gender Equality Means Good Business Programme AT A GLANCE: » Women-owned businesses are vital to poverty reduction and economic growth in Jamaica however, they face many gender gaps in business development policies, financing and services that limit their success. » The European Union-funded Programme, implemented in Jamaica by the ILO and UN Women between 2018 and 2021, supported a partnership with UWI Mona and JEF to make a business case for gender equality so women can overcome barriers to starting and managing their own businesses. » They developed a framework for greater coordination between the private sector and Government to create women-friendly business development policies that will also address disparities worsened by the pandemic. » These results will help the economic empowerment of thousands of women and their families, support the goals and targets in Vision 2030 Jamaica, the MSME and Entrepreneurship Policy, the National Policy for Gender Equality and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. WHAT PARTNERS ARE SAYING: “The Jamaica Employers’ Federation is honoured to be a partner of the “Win- Win: Gender Equality Means Good Business” Programme in Jamaica. Our sensitization programme is ongoing, through discussions and workshops, to ensure that the message “gender equality is good for business”, remains uppermost in participants’ minds. JEF commends the EU, ILO and UN Women, for this programme, and looks forward to further supporting the economic empowerment of women.” Yvonne Davis, Director, Workplace Solutions, Business Development and Consultancy Services, JEF (R-L) 1st right, former Minister of Labour and Social Security, Honourable Lester Michael Henry, Left, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Mrs Colette Roberts Risden, right Director, Child Labour, MLSS, Mrs. Sasha Deer-Gordon shared a photo moment with winners of the 2020 Child Labour Essay Competition. Credit: MLSS ILO Project Coordinator Resel Melville with Trainers from the Ministry of Labour and National Institute for Labour Inspection of Brazil (ENIT). Credit: MLSS Win-Win: Gender Equality Means Good Business Programme public awareness poster. Credit: ILO CONT’D FROM PAGE 8 9 THE 76TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN JAMAICA