Jamaica’s Social Policy Response to Covid-19: Societal Inequalities Laid Bare

Abstract

To mitigate the negative socioeconomic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Jamaican government has targeted the poor and vulnerable through social protection programmes. Jamaica’s social policy response included (conditional and unconditional) cash transfers, one-off payments, in-kind transfers and increased nutritional and psychosocial support. However, the pandemic has laid bare deep societal inequalities. For example, the shift to online learning has exposed the deep digital divide and will result in unequal educational outcomes, now an increasing concern. Loss of income (especially among tourism workers) and the resulting destabilisation of livelihoods have increased the vulnerability of hundreds of households. The Jamaican government is finding it increasingly difficult to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in society. Urgent social policy responses must include increased support (wherever possible) from the private sector, non-governmental organisations and international development partners to ensure that hundreds of households and families are not left further behind.