Press Release

Government of Barbados and United Nations Agencies Kick Off Social Protection System Review

23 September 2020

The Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs in collaboration with United Nations Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, has launched a process to assess and optimize Barbados’ social protection system. The system was recently launched during a virtual event.

The Core Diagnostic Instrument (CODI), used for this purpose, forms part of a suite of internationally recognized tools developed by the Inter-Agency Social Protection Assessment Initiative (ispatools.org). Co-led by the International Labour Organization and UNICEF, this diagnostic marks the first of several UN-government interventions under the Joint Programme on Universal Adaptive Social Protection to Enhance Resilience and Accelerate the SDGs in the Eastern Caribbean. This programme also draws on the expertise of the World Food Programme, the UN Development Programme and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, the Hon. Cynthia Forde, virtually chaired the high-level launch, also joined by Hon. Colin E. Jordan, Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations, and Hon. Ryan R. Straughn, Minister in the Ministry of Finance. Minister Forde noted in her introductory remarks that while social protection was at a high level in Barbados, Government had been trying to attain a more holistic approach, in line with international standards, despite recent threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, the Minister stated “We are really happy to embrace this UN SDG Fund Joint Programme, and here now in this event, to formally commence the process of applying the Core Diagnostic Instrument in Barbados. CODI is a tool used by countries to map their social protection system including the objectives, strategies, policies, and programmes, with a view to identifying policy interventions and track progress against a standardized set of criteria over time. It relies heavily on dialogue among stakeholders across sectors, and this virtual launch will set the stage for the start of this dialogue.”

Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, Dennis Zulu, in delivering remarks noted that the implementation of the CODI responded to a specific request of the Government of Barbados for support, intended to maximize the impact of social protection programmes on people in the context of fiscal constraints under the Barbados Economic Recovery Transformation Plan. Mr. Zulu stated “We are convinced that CODI, together with the other interventions under the SDG Fund Joint Programme, will provide Barbados with a solid analysis and a roadmap to progressively build a universal and adaptive social protection system. This will certainly be a key achievement to attain the goals of the Barbados Economic Recovery Transformation Plan.”

Providing details on programmatic outputs Mr. Andrew Pollard, Coordinator and Joint SDG Fund Focal Point at the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs noted that arising from the programme will be a social protection monitoring mechanism and an 8-month training programme. As stressed by Ariel Pino, expert from the ILO, and Christina Dankmeyer, UNICEF Social Policy Specialist, the training is intended to strengthen country capacities for system analysis and facilitate coordination among key stakeholders throughout the process launched this Friday.

The meeting brought together high-level government representatives, heads of regional and international agencies, international financial institutions and social protection practitioners to introduce the tool, discuss social protection priorities for Barbados and agree on next steps for implementation.

Carol A. Gaskin

RCO

Programme Communications and Advocacy Officer

carol-ann.gaskin@un.org +1 (246) 467 6110

Carol Gaskin is a seasoned international development professional and strategic communicator, serving as the United Nations Development Coordination Officer for Programme Communications and Advocacy. With a background in journalism and creative writing, Carol brings a diverse skill set to her role.

In her capacity, she leads communication and advocacy efforts for the UN Resident Coordinator's Office, overseeing operations in 10 Eastern Caribbean countries. Additionally, she chairs the UN Communications Group, fostering collaboration among communicators from 18 agencies.

Carol's expertise lies in developing communication strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. She excels in storytelling, utilizing various channels to amplify the UN's message effectively.

Her achievements include coordinating impactful events such as the "UN in the City" SDG exhibition and spearheading initiatives like the introduction of the Caribbean's first SDG-branded electric bus. Notably, Carol has received recognition for her outstanding work, including the Best Annual Results Report for Latin America and the Caribbean in 2023.

Her work extends to humanitarian efforts, notably providing coverage during natural disasters like the La Soufriere eruption.

With a proven track record of success and dedication to advancing global priorities, Carol A. Gaskin is a respected figure in the field of international development and strategic communication.