KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, has hailed the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for the assistance provided to Jamaica over the years in bolstering interventions to benefit women and girls.

The minister noted that the support, particularly within the COVID-19 context, “has been able to strengthen our protection and response mechanisms to positively impact the lives of every woman and child”.

She cited technical support provided to the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCJF) by the UNFPA through the Spotlight Initiative, remarking that “we are deeply grateful”.

Grange was speaking during a tour of the WCJC’s headquarters in St Andrew on Friday, where she was joined by Executive Director of the UNFPA, Dr Natalia Kanem.

The touring party included the Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Jamaica, Ambassador Marianne Van Steen and other officials.

Dr Kanem’s visit to Jamaica is aimed at strengthening the collaborative spirit between the Government and the UNFPA, with special focus on gender-based violence prevention among adolescent mothers, implemented under the Spotlight Initiative in June 2020.

The objective is to drive positive change and progress in alignment with Jamaica’s Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Spotlight Initiative in Jamaica, implemented through funding from the EU, addresses three key priority areas in ending violence against women and girls; these are child sexual abuse, intimate partner violence and discrimination against vulnerable groups.

Interventions are focused within parishes that have been determined to have high levels of violence towards women and girls, while work continues on legislation and policy measures to impact the entire population.

Minister Grange commended the EU for “partnering with [the] UN to provide the funding for the [initiative]. Coming out of that we are able to operationalise the gender-based violence shelters…a third shelter should be open later this year into early next year,” she said.

She noted further that a gender-based violence helpline has been operationalised, and guidelines created for such helplines, as well as shelters and other safe spaces for victims

Dr Kanem, in her remarks, encouraged the girls at the WCJF to believe in themselves.

“I will also want to emphasise that part of believing in yourself is looking after yourself. Do acknowledge how precious you are, and I want to thank you for stepping up and looking for ways to better your situation,” she said.

– JIS