United Nations Development Programme Jamaica

United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2012-2016

Overview

The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) is the document that guides the work of all the United Nations (UN) agencies which make up the United Country Team (UNCT) in Jamaica for a period of 5 years. It reflects development priorities of Jamaica and provides a coordinated strategy for the delivery of UN assistance to the country.

The UNDAF represents a comprehensive guide for development cooperation activities; it is based on the Country's National priorities and needs for development within the context of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the other international commitments.

The UNDAF development process is a yearlong exercise initiated with an assessment of the country's development situation expressed in the Common Country Assessment (CCA), followed by a consultative process involving UN Agencies, the Government of Jamaica as well as civil society partners.

Common Country Assessment (CCA)

Eight major challenges were identified during the Common Country Assessment (CCA) process. These include negative or very low rates of economic growth, high levels of unemployment and high debt. After years of decline, poverty is increasing, particularly in the rural areas. The high incidence of crime and violence is, however, the most fundamental and debilitating challenge facing the country. Jamaica has been consistently listed among the most violent countries in the world. The data also point to an increasing incidence of violence against women. In addition, issues of governance, corruption and the inadequacies of the justice system dominate. Access, quality, accountability, supply of teachers and safety and security remain key issues in the education sector. In health, areas related to child/adolescent health, maternal health, and lifestyle diseases and mental health pose serious challenges. HIV and AIDS continue to threaten Jamaica's development despite some successes. Jamaica's vulnerability to national hazard, the effect of climate change and the dependence on imported petroleum continue to be significant and costly.

UNDAF 2012-2016 Pillars

The current UNDAF was signed between the UN and the Government of Jamaica in Kingston on May 04, 2011.

Under UNDAF 2012-2016, the UN agencies will be providing development assistance of USD $37.6 million to support the Government of Jamaica in implementing the country's long and medium term goals as outlined in Vision 2030. This allocation comes as an extension from UNDAF 2007-2011 in which initiatives in education, HIV/AIDS, poverty, the environment, health, and justice, peace and security were supported.

Through UNDAF 2012-2016, the UN agencies will provide targeted intervention geared to the most vulnerable groups in the Jamaican society with three broad thematic areas of focus:

1.       Environment

2.       Social empowerment and equity

3.       Safety, Security and Justice.

Of the USD $37.6 million allocated, approximately 26% will be allotted to support initiatives in the Environment sector; 38% to support initiatives geared to deliver the  Social Empowerment and Equity outcome and 36% dedicated to contribute to the outcome related to Safety, Security and Justice.

The three Outcomes associated with these three pillarsare:

1. UNDAF Pillar 1: Environment

UNDAF Outcome: National, local authorities and most vulnerable communities islandwide

improve natural resource management and resilience to disasters

2. UNDAF Pillar 2: Social Empowerment and Equity

UNDAF Outcome: Socially excluded and at-risk populations in rural/urban communities

have increased access to improved quality health and education services

3. UNDAF Pillar 3: Safety, Security and Justice

UNDAF Outcome: Government and civil society organizations improve access to

comprehensive protection, prevention, and justice systems and services for individuals and groups vulnerable to multiple safety and violence risks

Crosscutting issues throughout the UNDAF include gender and capacity development with particular focus on data collection, data analysis and utilization which require strengthening across the sectors.

How the UNDAF operates

The UNDAF is implemented and monitored by a Steering Committee, co-chaired by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and the UN Resident Coordinator and comprises key partner ministries, senior level officials from private sector, civil society, International Development Partners and the heads of UN Agencies. This body provides overall direction and guidance at all stages of the UNDAF implementation process.

At the operational level, the UN organizes internally into 3 UNDAF Theme Groups, each with a designated lead agency and specific members. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has been designated to lead the Outcome related to the Environment and is to be supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as Co-Chair. The process of monitoring progress in the Outcome related to initiatives geared to the Social Empowerment and Equity outcome will be led by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Initiatives in the Safety, Security and Justice Outcome will be monitored by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) as chair of that Outcome. In addition to being responsible for monitoring the implementation of programmes and activities under each thematic area, Theme Groups will assist with encouraging agency work programmes alignment to the UNDAF.

The current programming cycle 2012-2016 

Common Country Assessment -> CCA (full version)

CCA (executive summary)

United Nations Development Assistance Framework ->UNDAF 2012-2016

Signature Page UNDAF 2012-2016

UNDAF frequently asked questions -> UNDAF FAQs 

Useful Links:

UN System in Jamaica