UNFPA in collaboration with the Bureau of Gender Affairs in Jamaica supports the further development of policies to improve the interagency coordinated service delivery for survivors of gender based violence (GBV). A policy entitled “Multi-Agency Standard Operating Procedures on Gender-Based Violence”  and accompanying documents to address the roles of each stakeholder in collectively responding to the needs of gender-based violence survivors were presented on Wednesday in a meeting that included a number of high level stakeholders.

Discussed throughout the seminar were the benefits of the Continuum of Care for survivors, as one of the important results of sustainable framework that provides programs, policies, and protocols which are integrated and optimized to facilitate a collaborative, survivor-centered approach in enabling response and providing for those affected by gender-based violence. The primary objective was to provide access to adequate resources and services ranging from safety and security to health and wellness through these coordinated efforts in giving support to gender-based violence survivors. 

Additionally, concerns related to infrastructural development , the involvement of civil society partners and the availability of resources were addressed as stakeholders continue to build on this foundation of inter-agency collaboration, furthermore propelling this coordination to perform at maximum efficiency.

Alison Drayton, Director of the UNFPA Sub-Regional Office for the Caribbean, who spoke at the opening of the meeting, pointed to the significant impact of GBV on the Caribbean. She said she was pleased with the initiative taken to examine multi-agency coordination and its integration within the policy framework. “It is globally recognized that a well-coordinated multi-sectoral response for women and girls subject to violence is more effective in keeping survivors safe from violence and holding offenders accountable than when different sectors of the society work in isolation,” she said.

This activity is being implemented under the Spotlight Initiative, which is funded by the European Union and was represented at the event. The Spotlight Initiative is a global, multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.