Seven hundred frontline workers across Jamaica’s criminal justice system are to be trained in a nationwide workshop series targeting a cultural shift in their service delivery to vulnerable and disadvantaged persons.

Organisers confirm that findings and gaps identified during the workshop series will inform a comprehensive plan of action to bolster national capacity to deliver justice services that are trauma-informed, survivor-centred and gender-responsive.

Training has been tailored for staff of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and Ministry of Justice; Justices of the Peace and mediators, across 14 parish workshops, to help them better serve men and women in crisis, persons with disabilities and mental health issues; children in contact and conflict with the law; and rural communities.

Recently launched under the Social Justice project (SO-JUST) funded by the Government of Canada, the training is convened by the Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus and the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD).

“This training is critical because it addresses gaps in how justice services are delivered, especially to those who experience multiple and overlapping forms of marginalisation”, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Grace-Ann Stewart McFarlane, stated.

She said by empowering justice sector professionals with a deeper understanding of gender dynamics, trauma, and social justice, Government is fostering a more empathetic, inclusive, and effective justice system. “It is often said that the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members, and we at the ministry are committed to bridging those gaps to ensure that all Jamaicans have equal access to justice services,” she said.

UNDP Assistant Resident Representative Lesley-Ann Ennevor in acknowledging the systemic barriers faced by those living with poverty, discrimination, gender-based violence, and disability, said the SO-JUST workshops must send a clear message that justice must be delivered with fairness, empathy, and without prejudice. “This, therefore, presents an opportunity to encourage a new mindset and to remind each of us that the justice system is most credible when it treats every person with the same dignity it promises in law … we believe this powerful intervention will not only serve to strengthen relevant policies and frameworks but shift perceptions and practices around justice delivery,” she stated.

Shehryar Sarwar, Counsellor and Head of Development Cooperation, High Commission of Canada, said social justice cannot be achieved without gender justice, and gender justice must be inclusive of all people, across all identities. Noting that the training intends to improve awareness of how gender interacts and intersects with disability, age, socio-economic status, and ethnicity, he said these overlapping identities must be considered in building a justice system that serves everyone.

Sarwar said Canada is proud to support this initiative, which not only strengthens individual capacities but also fosters collaboration across the justice sector. “Together, we are advancing a shared vision: a Jamaica where justice is truly accessible, truly inclusive, and truly equitable,” he stated. 

Dr Dalea Bean, Senior Lecturer & Head, IGDS, at UWI Mona acknowledged that the Justice Ministry’s goals of entrenching fairness, redress, dignity, security, safety and law in criminal justice sector norms are a mammoth task requiring the support of stakeholders. She saluted workshop participants for their role in shaping a new culture of service to disadvantaged persons while keeping Jamaica safe. “This critical social justice intervention further empowers justice professionals to undertake their roles with excellence, while allowing academicians to learn from those who are talking the talk and walking the walk daily,” she observed. The SO-JUST training curriculum covers gender sensitivity in law enforcement and justice delivery; trauma-informed policing and justice responses; community engagement and strengthening survivor-centred approaches; social justice and intersectionality. A special presentation on providing gender-sensitive, trauma-informed, and equitable justice services to persons with disabilities will be facilitated by the JCPD. The seven-year SO-JUST Project, which is being implemented until 2028, is a J$1.2 billion investment by the Government of Canada, focusing on integrating the four pillars of social justice—equity, access, participation, and rights.