Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, 81 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5
Tuesday, February 20th, 2024 | 2:00 p.m.
 

Salutations

•    Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Grace-Ann Stewart-McFarlane
•    Counsellor and Head of Cooperation, Jamaica/Caribbean Regional Development, High Commission of Canada, Christian Da Silva
•    Executive Director, Children First, Claudette Pious
•    Executive Director, Jamaica Association for the Deaf, Kimberley Mariott-Blake 
•    Those viewing via the Ministry’s YouTube channel, Ministry of Justice, Jamaica;
•    Members of the media
•    Other distinguished guests

Good afternoon.

It’s World Day of Social Justice! – a pivotal moment for reflection and reinvigorated action on an inclusive justice system that leaves no one behind.

Imagine a Jamaica where those presently underserved – like persons with disabilities; women; children and youth; persons from rural areas – can all access justice services regardless of their abilities, gender, vulnerabilities, or geographic location.

Imagine a Jamaica where information is in braille, sign language interpretation is available for the Deaf; access ramps for wheelchairs; proper, separated, facilities for children and women in crisis. Now imagine this as the norm and not the exception.

UNDP is proud to partner with the Ministry of Justice through the Global Affairs Canada Funded- Social Justice Project to bring this vision to reality.

Built on the four key tenets of social justice, the Social Justice project seeks to enshrine equity, access, participation, and rights as the cornerstones of a modernized justice system.

Success will mean we are many steps further to securing Sustainable Development Goal #16, Peace Justice and Strong Institutions; SDG #5, Gender Equality and SDG #10, Reduced Inequalities.

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly (GA) recognized the importance of a social justice approach in 2007, when it declared 20 February as World Day of Social Justice.

The GA understood the indispensable nature of social development and social justice for the achievement and maintenance of peace and security and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

This is therefore a cherished day to remind ourselves that social justice is an ideal worth pursuing, focusing on the needs of the vulnerable among us, but serving all in the end.

Experience tells us that civil society organizations will play a pivotal role in integrating social justice principles into our systems of justice.

Today we therefore welcome Children First and Jamaica Association for the Deaf as full-fledged partners in our national efforts to build awareness of community-based justice services; to improve the provision of legal information and services to persons with disabilities; and to increase awareness of programmes for children in conflict and in contact of the law.

We regard your engagement with our client group as a milestone in this project, and UNDP is particularly pleased that your participation in Alternative Justice Services and social justice initiatives will be strengthened through enhanced capacities for advocacy, restorative justice, and client referrals where appropriate.

Because of your deep connections and experience with those who are presently underserved by the justice system, you bring a sensitive and nuanced approach that is likely to boost participation and access. UNDP therefore has no hesitation in calling for deepened engagement, capacity building and financing of CSOs to bolster effective outreach to the underserved.

These are the kinds of development solutions that energize Team UNDP. They underscore our global mission to end poverty, inequality and exclusion while building resilience to crisis.

UNDP’s commitment to strengthening access to justice is an important underpinning of our mission and indeed our 2022-2026 Country Programme. We therefore welcome the opportunity to support the Ministry of Justice’s bold vision to secure effective access to justice for all through effective justice reform and stand resolutely with you on this important journey.

Our gratitude to Global Affairs Canada for supporting Jamaica’s justice reform agenda, and for doubling down on your commitment through the Social Justice project to bolster access to justice for all.

As we embark on this important leg of the justice reform process, let us collectively ensure that we listen to those we serve so that our solutions are responsive to their needs, with resonating impact on the systems of justice. 
This way, we will truly leave no one behind in our development efforts. 
 
Thank you.