Gov’t Initiates Development of WPS National Action Plan

The Government has initiated steps to develop a National Action Plan (NAP) on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, positioning Jamaica to become the 117th country worldwide to implement this strategic framework.

The WPS agenda, established 26 years ago through the United Nations Security Council’s landmark Resolution 1325, reaffirms the critical role of women and their equal participation in the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, on Thursday (June 2), hosted a hybrid sensitisation session at its head office in downtown Kingston, with participants attending both in person and online via Zoom.

The session aimed to build awareness and lay the foundation for developing the NAP, while deepening understanding of the WPS agenda. It also sought to foster dialogue among stakeholders and strengthen partnerships to advance this inclusive national process.

In a prerecorded address, Portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, underscored the relevance of the WPS agenda to Jamaica, noting that the country’s primary security threats stem from domestic and transnational organised crime and gang violence, rather than traditional warfare.

“Through targeted strategies, we have achieved the most significant reduction in crime in over 30 years. Indeed, women’s involvement in local violence-prevention efforts has contributed much to this success. We believe that greater involvement of women will yield further benefits to our society, including building a culture of peace and fostering community resilience,” she said.

Minister Johnson Smith emphasised that the NAP will enable Jamaica to adapt to a rapidly evolving security environment, ranging from cyberthreats to the climate crisis.

She called for a ‘whole-of-society approach’, urging active participation from civil society, academia, and women across Jamaican communities in shaping the NAP.

Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ambassador Rocky Meade, represented by Brigadier Markland Lloyd, highlighted the urgency of developing the framework.

He cited the 2025 Jamaica Constabulary Force Incident Analysis Report, which revealed that 4,048 females were among the 9,646 people reported as victims of violent crimes, including homicides.

Ambassador Meade further stressed that the impacts of crime, cyberthreats, migration, and climate displacement are disproportionately borne by women.

“The time is, therefore, opportune to implement a National Action Plan for WPS, as it is not just a national security project; it is a justice project, an education project. We must, therefore, change the narrative that women are simply victims, and position them as architects of peace, conflict resolution, and security,” he urged.

Ambassador Meade issued a charge to the designated gender focal points across ministries, departments, and agencies, urging them to leverage their positions to embed gender perspectives into their organisations’ strategic plans, policies, and budgets.

The session was held in partnership with the Office of the Prime Minister’s Defence Division and the Jamaica Defence Force, with support from regional and international partners.

It featured presentations highlighting the history of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and outlined Jamaica’s National Action Plan development process.