After three years of successful implementation, the EU-funded project “Technical Assistance to the support to citizen security budget support”, aimed at enhancing citizen security in Jamaica, culminated in a comprehensive review event, marking a significant milestone in the country's ongoing efforts towards fostering safer communities. The one-day event ‘Review of the Technical Assistance to the Citizen Security Plan and Charting the Way Forward’ was held on 25 January2024 at the University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters in Jamaica and welcomed 80 participants, including key stakeholders of the Citizen Security Plan (CSP) and international development partners.

The event began with opening remarks by Dianne McIntosh, from the Citizen Security Secretariat, Dr Wayne Henry, Director General of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Her Excellency Marianne Van Steen, EU Ambassador to Jamaica, and Dr Horace Chang, the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security. 

The Citizen Security Plan was designed as a comprehensive and unified strategy aimed at ensuring citizen security in the country. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr Horace Chang, highlighted that the success of CSP relies on collaboration between government agencies, community organisations, the private sector, and citizens. “EU's assistance serves as a testament to the shared dedication to creating safer communities and promoting security within the region”, he stated. With support of the EU, the Government of Jamaica approved an ambitious $43-billion programme in May 2020, aiming at enhancing Jamaica’s ability to design and implement impactful social and crime prevention policies and programs that address the needs of its citizens, with great emphasis placed on the collection and analysis of data.

From the beginning, the project objective has been to improve safety in vulnerable communities. The programme aimed at reducing the risk of violence and crime against women, children, and youths, while also promoting safer spaces and greater parental involvement. The activities were meant to strengthen the government's capacity to coordinate and implement the CSP, using evidence-based policy revisions and better data processes. The project also includes monitoring and evaluating the CSP framework, promoting behavioural change, and strengthening the capacity of institutional stakeholders to undertake coordinated interventions.

The invaluable contribution of the dedicated technical assistance team was also noticed by Dr. Wayne Henry, Director General of the PIOJ, who thanked the implementing Consortium for providing expert guidance in data collection, analysis, and utilisation. These efforts proved pivotal in equipping various Ministries in Jamaica with the necessary tools to design policies based on concrete evidence, which led to measurable outcomes.

During the event, project documents from the past three years were gathered and distributed to stakeholders for future reference. GOPA PACE recognised and awarded its partners with plaques and tokens of appreciation for their active and helpful participation during the last three years. As Irem Ozturk, Project Manager with GOPA PACE, indicated "our project has successfully fostered the commitment of all stakeholders towards achieving the plan's significant outcomes for the country and we are eager to continue our work towards creating a brighter future for Jamaican citizens".