Work Continues on Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy

Work continues towards the completion of a Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy for Jamaica, says State Minister in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn.

She said that the policy will, among other things, mitigate barriers that prevent access to health services, especially among adolescents and vulnerable groups, such as people living with HIV.

She noted that it will facilitate and support “an integrated and well-coordinated sexual and reproductive health system that recognises and upholds the rights of women, men, adolescents and children with an evidence-based framework, to attain the highest outcome for all Jamaicans”.

Mrs. Cuthbert Flynn was addressing a recent function held at the residence of the Canadian High Commissioner in St. Andrew, to announce support of Can$9.8 million (approximately J$1.1 billion) from Canada for new initiatives to combat gender-based violence and advance sexual and reproductive health and human rights in the country.

The funding will support two major projects to be undertaken over the next five years – WE-Talk for the reduction of Gender-Based Violence in Jamaica; and Strengthening Access, Inclusion and Leadership for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SAIL-SRHR).

Approximately Can$4.9 million (J$551.5 million) of the new funding will go to Oxfam Canada to implement WE-Talk, which aims to reduce sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls, engage men and boys in support of GBV reduction, and strengthen local women’s rights organisations, feminist collectives, and positive masculinity groups that advance women’s rights.

Oxfam Canada will work with local organisations Women’s Media Watch (WMW) Jamaica and CariMan, to implement innovative approaches to change social norms and reduce gender-based violence through research, stakeholder engagement, behaviour change communication, and capacity-building.

Alinea International will receive the other Can$4.9 million to implement the SAIL-SRHR, which will support improved access to rights-based sexual and reproductive health services and information in two health regions of Jamaica to reach adolescent girls and vulnerable people.

The project will be implemented in close partnership with the Jamaica Family Planning Association and the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition.

Mrs. Cuthbert-Flynn welcomed the assistance from Canada.

She noted that sexual and reproductive health, including family planning resources, is a “priority focus” of Jamaica’s public health interventions.

“Canada’s technical support [will] help us address, among other things, healthy sexual and reproductive health behaviours among adolescents and key populations, gender stereotyping and discrimination and intimate partner violence,” she said.

This latest assistance from Canada, the State Minister added, “will no doubt fortify our health sector and strengthen our bilateral partnership, built over the years”.

For his part, Canada’s Minister for International Development, Harjit S. Sajjan, lauded Jamaica for advancing “gender equality, and for following through with the implementation of the National Strategic Action Plan for the reduction of gender-based violence”.

“Your national policy for gender equality sets the direction for improving the lives of the most vulnerable women and girls in Jamaica,” the Minister said.