Child Protection Compact Partnerships – Jamaica

U.S.-Jamaica Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership (2018–2022)

On May 31, 2018, the United States and Jamaica signed the U.S.-Jamaica Child Protection Compact Partnership, a four-year plan developed jointly by our two governments to build on Jamaica’s existing efforts to prosecute and punish perpetrators of child trafficking, identify child trafficking victims and strengthen the provision of comprehensive protective services, and prevent child trafficking from occurring.  The Partnership facilitates a TIP Office investment of $6.7 million in U.S. foreign assistance and is the first CPC Partnership in the Caribbean.

Foreign Assistance Awards to Support the U.S.-Jamaica CPC Partnership

In October 2018, the TIP Office announced the award of funds totaling $5 million to the International Organization for Migration, the Warnath Group, and Winrock International for activities in support of the U.S.-Jamaica CPC Partnership. These implementing partners are working collaboratively with Jamaican ministries and other civil society organizations to combat child trafficking throughout the country through the end of the Partnership in 2022.

Warnath Group

Summary: The Warnath Group is building the capacity of Jamaican law enforcement and victim service providers to increase the number of victim-centered investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of child trafficking cases through tailored training and technical assistance, as well as support the Government of Jamaica to strengthen and maintain data collection on child trafficking.

Key Accomplishments to Date:

• Warnath Group is enhancing the Office of the National Rapporteur’s role in providing information and building knowledge on human trafficking through technical support on its annual report and the development of an online resource library that is now owned and operated by the Office of the National Rapporteur for Trafficking in Person.
• Warnath Group has furthered collaboration and advocacy to support the government in identifying resources and convening a multi-agency working group to establish multidisciplinary child-friendly spaces for interviewing and assisting child victims.
• Warnath Group has conducted trainings for 160 officers from the Independent Commission of Investigations and the Jamaica Constabulary Force that familiarized participants with the elements of child and adult trafficking under Jamaican law, equipped them with skills to proactively identify potential cases of child trafficking, and introduced them to victim-centered approaches to investigating trafficking.
• Warnath Group has trained Parish Court Judges, Supreme Court Justices, and Court of Appeal Justices on issues such as international and local laws on trafficking, victim identification, victim protection principles, understanding child trafficking victims, referrals, and sentencing matters.
• Warnath Group has partnered with the Office of the Department of Public Prosecutions to conduct workshops on prosecutorial challenges, international and national TIP law and practice, and victim-centered practices.

Winrock International

Summary: Winrock International and its implementing partners are working to strengthen government and civil society capacity to identify and provide comprehensive services to more child trafficking victims from identification through protective care, community reintegration, and long-term follow up services and increase efforts to prevent child trafficking by developing and strengthening community-based mechanisms to raise awareness.

Key Accomplishments to Date:

• In close coordination with the Government of Jamaica, Winrock developed several tools including a National Referral Mechanism, Screening Tool, and Child Trafficking Indicators which have all been endorsed by the National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons as well as several ministries and agencies.
• Winrock delivered a virtual training on trauma-informed psychosocial support for child trafficking victims. Eighty-four people completed the training, including psychologists, social workers, nurses, educators, and guidance counselors.  The training’s final question and answer session involved a human trafficking survivor who shared information on her experiences and provided perspectives on best practices for clinicians and challenges they may face in effectively providing care for child victims.
• Winrock has established and trained over 30 agency champions on topics including push and pull factors for TIP, cyber trafficking, the National Referral Mechanism, and National Minimum Standards of Care for trafficking victims.

International Organization for Migration

Summary: IOM, in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, will increase efforts to prevent child trafficking in Jamaica by conducting nationwide research on its nature and prevalence in different sectors to provide the Government of Jamaica and the public with information that clearly articulates the features of child trafficking in Jamaica.