National Policy on Poverty – Green Paper
January 19, 2017The Full Story
The National Policy on Poverty and National Poverty Reduction Programme together constitute a responsive instrument of the Government of Jamaica to the need to institute a systematic and accountable framework to implement, coordinate, and monitor measures to address poverty and vulnerability. These represent a move to providing a focal point for coordinating poverty programmes and to address the void existing since the end of the previous programme.
The National Poverty Eradication Programme and accompanying policy framework (Ministry Paper #13, 1997) had been in effect since 1997, administered through the Programme Monitoring and Coordinating Unit (PMCU) of the Office of the Prime Minister. The PMCU ceased functioning around 2007.
Building on the experience of the past, the new National Policy addresses new dynamics and realities in a comprehensive manner. Reflecting new policy directions and approaches, the National Policy and Programme are linked to Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan and its Poverty Reduction Strategic Plan.
It is also seamlessly linked to the Jamaica Social Protection Strategy (2014), which provides the framework for the delivery of Effective Social Protection, an outcome of Vision 2030 Jamaica.
The National Policy provides a focused and overarching framework for addressing poverty, inclusive of principles, vision, goals, objectives, strategies, institutional and monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
The National Programme on the other hand, outlines the parameters for delivery and provides focussed interventions, strategies, and actions towards achieving the policy goals over the medium-term (2015-2018) and longer term (2030).
NOTE: The Draft National Policy on Poverty and National Poverty Reduction Programme (Green Paper) is now available for public consultation, and is open for comments up to March 3, 2017. The Green Paper is also available on the PIOJ and Vision 2030 Jamaica Facebook pages and some public libraries.
You may send comments to:
Poverty Reduction Coordinating Unit
Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ)
16 Oxford Road
Kingston
Email: prcu@pioj.gov.jm