CRC/C/JAM/CO/3-4

Jamaica (CRC 10-03-2015)

The Committee considered the consolidated third and fourth periodic reports of Jamaica (CRC/C/JAM/3–4) at its 1951st and 1953rd meetings (see CRC/C/SR.1951 and 1953), held on 19 and 20 January 2015, and adopted the following concluding observations at its 1983rd meeting (see CRC/C/SR.1983), held on 30 January 2015.

Concluding observations

A. General measures of implementation (arts. 4, 42 and 44, para. 6, of the Convention)

Data collection

17. The Committee welcomes the establishment of a comprehensive database (JamStats) capturing a wide range of social and economic indicators on the various aspects of children’s lives as well as initiatives to strengthen existing data collection and management processes. The Committee also notes efforts to “institutionalize” the JamStats database in all relevant ministries, agencies and civil society organizations, and to train stakeholders. The Committee is, however, concerned about gaps in the overall data collection apparatus of the State party, in particular with respect to children with disabilities, children in situations of migration, children in street situations, child labour and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children.
18. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to strengthen data collection and management processes, and to systematize the database system among all stakeholders, as well as capacity-building for the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of policies, programmes and projects for the effective implementation of the Convention. The data should cover all areas of the Convention and be disaggregated by age, sex, disability, geographic location, ethnic origin, migration status and socioeconomic background.