Jamaica

From April 11 – 22, 2005, a four-person team from the Washington, D.C.-based Safe Schools (DevTech SSP)1 traveled to Malawi to conduct a school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) assessment. The DevTech Safe Schools Team was comprised of four DevTech Systems, Inc. employees: Program Director Maryce Ramsey, Youth and Reproductive Health Specialist Cate Lane, Education Specialist Nina Etyemezian, and Qualitative Researcher Ji Sun Lee. Also participating in the assessment was Julie Hanson Swanson, DevTech SSP’s Cognizant Technical Officer from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade/Office of Women in Development (EGAT/WID).

Objectives
The overall objectives of this first exploratory trip were to:
• Assess existing programs for their capacity to address SRGBV;
• Understand the nature of SRGBV in Jamaica; and
• Identify individuals and organizations from the key informant interviews to serve as local
partners.

Methodology
Over the course of the visit, the Team collected data, reports, and materials, conducted openended interviews, and semi-structured focus groups with key stakeholders recommended by the USAID/Jamaica and/or other informants. The Team examined programs and structures at multiple levels: national, institutional, community, and individual. The Team interviewed representatives from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture (MoEYC), the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ministry of National Security (MoNS), USAID partners, other international donors and organizations, local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community level
organizations (e.g., Parent Teacher Associations [PTAs]) to identify:

(a) Types of gender-based violence;
(b) Issues and gaps;
(c) Promising programs and organizations; and
(d) Recommendations.