Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) Grant
The
Government of
Jamaica
has placed a significant priority on community-based crime and violence
prevention initiatives
and has
sought partnerships with multilateral and bilateral agencies to strengthen the
coordinated response
capacity of governmental and nongovernmental actors.
The project has emerged from a consultative process with a coalition of over a
dozen leading Jamaican NGOs and community groups active in community crime and
violence prevention. These organizations
are active in a broad range of high risk
communities and the activities outlined for support under this
proposal reflect key areas of need as
identified by communities and through a range of participatory
processes. The project also builds on the
2-3 years of active community engagement in the 12 inner city
neighborhoods covered under the ICBSP
Project. In each of these communities JSIF has conducted public
safety assessments and maintains an active
and regular dialogue with beneficiary groups.
The project also reflects priorities established
in dialogue between the World Bank, the Government of
Jamaica, JSIF and the Japanese Government through JICA representatives in
The Grant is thus financed by
the Japanese Social Development Fund (JSDF) through the World Bank and is
implemented by the JSIF. The Grant became effective June 3, 2009 and seeks to
support JSIF’s present efforts in reducing the incidence of crime and violence
in high risk and vulnerable inner city communities in
Component A:
of the Grant is being implemented with the support of the
Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA)
to assist in
the development and implementation of a Crime and Violence Information System,
in addition to strengthening the planning capabilities of the Project
communities.
Specifically, the Component
will produce the following:
-
An integrated crime and violence information platform or web based crime observatory (Integrated Crime and Violence Information System -ICVIS) for the twelve (12) communities captured by the Inner City Basic Services Project (ICBSP) that will serve as a platform to host and share crime and violence information with stakeholders in a secure system designed within international standards. The ICVIS will be hosted or transitioned to a GoJ agency to be decided.
-
The Production of community action plans aimed at strengthening the planning capabilities of the project communities for crime and violence prevention.
-
Funding of subproject activities identified in the community action plans focusing on vulnerable and high risk populations in the project communities.
This Component
is expected to roll out over a two year period, departing with the closure of
the ICBSP in 2011.
Component B:
The
Jamaica Violence Action (JAVA) Fund - utilizes the JAVA Fund to finance crime
and violence prevention activities in high-risk areas along the Kingston-May Pen
metropolitan corridor in the southeastern region of the island.
Specifically,
the Fund will support innovative approaches to crime and violence prevention
through demand-driven subprojects developed and implemented by NGOs and CBOs
with established track records in community-based crime and violence prevention.
The JAVA Fund will support subprojects in three thematic areas:
-
Mediation and conflict resolution;
-
Social programs for youth at risk aimed at violence prevention;
-
Social support services for vulnerable families in the selected communities.
The JAVA aims
to fund an estimated sixteen (16) sub grants between January 2010 and December
2011.
Overall the Grant aims
to
directly and indirectly benefit 93,500 residents of high risk neighborhoods
through participation in targeted crime and violence prevention activities and
improved public safety.
