Jamaica
Overview of Country Gender Equality Status
|
Normative and Policy Frameworks
Domestic Violence Act
Title |
Date Operational |
Date Amended |
Contents |
Key Amendments |
The Domestic Violence Act
|
May 6 1996
|
2004
|
- Application for Orders - Protection Orders - Occupation Orders - General: interim orders; standard of proof; counselling; appeals; protection of mortgagee; Matrimonial Causes Act |
- Remedies to victims of domestic violence, which include some orders - Provides equality in Marriage and Family Law |
Sexual Offences Act |
June 30 2011 |
|
|
Joint select committee of Parliament appointed to review the act in 2014 and is still hearing and receiving submissions. |
Gender Policy
In existence (Yes/No) |
Title |
Date |
Notes |
Yes
|
March 2011 |
Also: - National Policy Statement on Women (1987) - National Development Plan- Gender Sectoral Plan (2009-2030) |
National Strategic Action Plan on Gender Based Violence
In existence (Yes/No) |
Title |
Date |
Notes |
Yes |
National Strategic Plan to end Gender Based Violence (Draft) |
2014-2024 |
- Completion is at an advanced stage. - The monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework is currently being finalized. - It is expected to be presented to the Cabinet for approval by May/June 2015. |
Regional and International Human Rights Conventions
CEDAW Convention Optional Protocol
Year Signed/Year Ratified/Ascension (A) |
Reporting Status (Publication Date) |
Report(s) Due |
Concluding Observations |
Year Signed/Year Ratified |
17 July 1980/ |
6th & 7th Periodic Report - 7 January 2011 |
8th Report - 1 July 2016 |
52nd Session - 6 August 2012 |
Not signed |
Convention of Belem do Para
Year Signed/Year Ratified |
Reporting Status |
|
14 December 2005/ |
Response to Second Multilateral Evaluation Round Questionnaire (2009-2014) |
Universal Periodic Review
Reporting Status |
Date of Consideration |
Outcome of Review |
Decision of the Outcome |
20 August 2010 |
Provided on: 4 January 2011 |
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Year Signed/Year Ratified |
Reporting Status (Publication Date) |
Report(s) Due |
Concluding Observations |
26 January 1990/ |
3rd & 4th
Reports – |
To be determined |
Population/Demography
Population disaggregated by sex and age
Age Group |
Females |
Males |
Both Sexes |
Year/Source |
||
No |
% |
No |
% |
No
|
||
0-14 |
320 822 |
49.2 |
331 492 |
50.8 |
652 312 |
|
15-24 |
261 564 |
49.3 |
268 829 |
50.7 |
530 393 |
” |
25-34 |
220 758 |
51.3 |
209 877 |
48.7 |
430 634 |
” |
35-44 |
186 422 |
52.6 |
168 248 |
47.4 |
354 671 |
” |
45-54 |
155 869 |
50.2 |
154 527 |
49.8 |
310 396 |
” |
55-64 |
102 808 |
49.8 |
103 554 |
50.2 |
206 362 |
” |
65+ |
124 240 |
53.3 |
108 981 |
46.7 |
233 221 |
” |
Total |
1 372 484 |
50.5 |
1 345 507 |
49.5 |
2 717 991 |
” |
Adolescent Fertility Rate (births per 1,000) |
70 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2012/World Bank |
Life span
|
Years |
Years |
Years |
2010-2015/UN Data |
||
76.0 |
70.9 |
-- |
Education and Training
Student population by sex
Educational Level |
Female |
Male |
Total |
Year |
Net enrolment rate (%)[1] |
Year |
|||
No |
% |
No |
% |
No
|
Female |
Male |
|||
Primary |
132 054 |
48.3 |
141 177 |
51.7 |
273 231 |
2013 |
83.7 |
86.6 |
2013 |
Secondary |
115 973 |
50.7 |
112 962 |
49.3 |
228 935 |
2013 |
71.2 |
66.5 |
2013 |
Tertiary (per 100,00 inhabitants)[2] |
3 619 |
-- |
1 697 |
-- |
5 316 |
2013 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Labour
Employment status by sex
Employment status |
Female |
Male |
Total |
Year/Source |
Employed Labour Force |
644 000 |
486 500 |
1 130 500 |
Jan 2014/Statistical Institute of Jamaica |
Labour Force Participation Rate |
56.0% |
71.8% |
63.0 |
2011/ECLAC |
Unemployment Rate |
17.4% |
10.1% |
13.4% |
Jan 2014/Statistical Institute of Jamaica |
Part-time employed |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Employed Population by Economic Sector (January 2014)
Economic Sector |
Female |
Male |
Total |
Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry & Fishing |
39 000 |
168 100 |
207 100 |
Mining & Quarrying |
500 |
6 400 |
6 900 |
Manufacturing |
23 800 |
47 900 |
71 700 |
Electricity, Gas & Water Supply |
1 200 |
6 800 |
8 000 |
Construction |
2 700 |
78 800 |
81 500 |
Wholesale & Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles & Equipment |
127 000 |
106 200 |
233 200 |
Transport, Storage & Communication |
13 700 |
58 100 |
71 800 |
Hotel & Restaurant Services |
49 500 |
31 200 |
80 700 |
Financial Intermediation |
16 900 |
9 300 |
26 200 |
Real Estate, Renting & Business Activities |
33 000 |
37 700 |
70 700 |
Public Administration & Defence; Compulsory Social Security |
30 500 |
26 700 |
57 200 |
Education |
52 700 |
17 300 |
70 000 |
Health & Social Work |
24 500 |
8 100 |
32 600 |
Other Community, Social & Personal Service Activities |
27 700 |
26 500 |
54 200 |
Private Households with Employed Persons |
43 000 |
12 600 |
55 600 |
Industry Not Specified (including Extra-territorial Bodies) |
800 |
2 300 |
3 100 |
Source: Statistical Institute of Jamaica
Leadership and Decision-Making
Number and percentage of women and men in leadership positions
Leadership Positions |
Female |
Male |
Total |
Year/Source |
||
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
|||
Parliament |
8 |
12.7 |
55 |
87.3 |
63 |
2011/IPU |
Appointed chambers (Senate) |
6 |
28.6 |
15 |
71.4 |
21 |
” |
Civil Service - Permanent Secretaries |
9 |
56.2 |
7 |
43.8 |
16 |
Bureau of Women’s Affairs [3] |
Civil Service – Heads of Departments/Divisions |
470 |
65.6 |
246 |
34.4 |
716 |
” |
Chief of Police |
-- |
-- |
√ |
-- |
-- |
|
Judicial appointments |
22 |
55.0 |
18 |
45.0 |
40 |
2015/Supreme Court |
Magistrates appointments |
40 |
78.4 |
11 |
21.6 |
51 |
2009/CEDAW Report |
Local government leaders – Councillors Mayors |
28 3 |
16.7 21.4 |
140 11 |
83.3 78.6 |
168 14 |
Bureau of Women’s Affairs[4] |
Government ministers |
5 |
18.5 |
22 |
81.5 |
27 |
|
Leaders of Parties |
2 |
66.7 |
1 |
33.3 |
3 |
Accessed Feb 2015/Caribbean Elections |
Deputy Heads of Parties |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Speaker of the Parliament |
-- |
-- |
√ |
-- |
-- |
2015/Houses of Parliament |
Head of Government |
√ |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2015/Caribbean Elections |
Head of State |
-- |
-- |
√ |
-- |
-- |
” |
Violence against Women
Number and percentage of intimate partner homicides (2013)
Homicides
|
Female |
Male |
% of total homicides |
Intimate partner homicides |
8 |
0 |
0.67 |
Source: ECLAC
Gender and Poverty
Poverty and poverty status of vulnerable populations by sex/age group (based on country’s poverty index/line)
Age group |
Female |
Male |
Indigenous |
Disabled |
Elderly |
PLHIV |
Year/Source |
||||
Female |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Male |
||||
0-14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15-24 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
25-34 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35-44 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45-54 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
55-64 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
65+ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
Source:
Key
N/A Not available
-- Not applicable
[1] Net enrolment rate – the number of children of the official school age enrolled in the educational level as a percentage of the total children of the official school age population.
[2] Formula: 100 000 x (Total number of students enrolled in tertiary education in a given academic year/country’s population).
[3] Email dated 10 April 2015
[4] See Footnote 3