Transcript Social policy

SOCIAL PROTECTION IN
THE CARIBBEAN :-
BARBADOS
Presenters :Angela Mendez
Chief Welfare Officer
Dianne Haynes
Project Co-ordinator
Ministry of Social Care, Constituency
Empowerment, Urban and
Rural Development
NATIONAL CONTEXT
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OVERVIEW
Barbados is an Island of approximately 166sq miles with a
population of approximately 280,000
Political System
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Westminster model
Democratic parliamentary system
Two political parties
Philosophy: moderate socialism.
No major differences in the political ideology of the two parties.
National Context (cont’d)
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Elections are held every five years
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Island divided into thirty constituencies
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There are 30 members of parliament
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Both political parties are represented
Economy
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Diversified economy
Gross domestic product in 2008 was Bds$7 billion
Tourism and the Financial services sectors being the
main drivers.
Sectors contribution to GDP
Financial services 19%
Tourism 12%
Manufacturing 6.6%
Construction 6.4%
Agriculture : - Sugar………… Bds$34 million
- Non-Sugar…..Bds$127 million
SOCIAL REALITY
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Barbados has a comprehensive social
development policy
Ranked on the scale of the Human
Development Index at No 31
Provides a wide social protection
network for its citizens
SOCIAL REALITY (cont’d
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Every citizen has easy access to water,
electricity, natural gas & communication
services
75% of the population is black, 15%white,
Indian 5% & Other 5%
Social partnership established in 1991
between government, the employers
representative and the employees
representative
Rate of unemployment in 2008 was 8%
SOCIAL REALITY (cont’d
Strengths
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A stable Democratic Society
High literacy rate of 98%
Smooth transfer of governance from one
political party to the other
Comparatively low crime rate
Emphasis in the development in human
capital.
SOCIAL REALITY (cont’d
Physical Infrastructure
Flat land scape allows for :Good road & transportation system
Good communication network ie. Telephone,
internet and radio
Institutional Mapping
Education
Free education from primary to tertiary level for all
nationals
Health
Free health care for all nationals
A centrally located general Hospital
10 community based medical facilities
(polyclinics) managed by trained health
professionals in public Health, antenatal
and postnatal care
Institutional Mapping
Health (cont’d
Reference unit established specifically to handle
HIV and Aids
Disaster risk reduction
Department of emergency management has
oversight for coordination in relation to risk
reduction and conducts workshops to educate and
sensitize..
Institutional Mapping
Social Welfare
Provided through various agencies under
the ministry of Social Care
Target groups:vulnerable persons including the elderly &
the disabled
Structure of Government
Governor General as Head of State
Prime Minister
Upper and lower houses of Parliament
Respective ministry – Ministry of Social Care,
Constituency empowerment, Urban and rural
Development
Agencies: Welfare Department, Urban & Rural
Development, National Assistance Board, National
Disabilities Unit, Office of Constituency
empowerment, Bureau of Social Policy
Structure of Government
Targeting Mechanisms
Cash transfers to individuals
Relief in kind to families
Training through the “welfare to work program”
Home Care Service for the elderly
Housing renewal through the urban and rural development.
A new study is been conducted by the bureau of Social Policy for
the assessment of living condition in the island (Last study
conducted in 1996)
Structure of Government
Ministry of social care constituency
empowerment urban and rural development
National assistance program
Cash transfer and relief in kind
Home care program for the elderly.
Poverty alleviation program.
Housing program through the Urban and Rural
commission
Focus of the National Strategy
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Lowering the cost of living
Improving access to property ownership
Improved health care service for all
Education for the 21st Century
Families First
Social security (Tax reversal credit etc.)
Enhancing the role of women
Registry system
All persons born in Barbados are supposed to be
registered .
 Children born to single mothers must be registered
by mother
 Children of married unions are registered by fathers
or both parents
Information required
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Registration no. of parents
Marriage certificate
Documentation from the hospital
Registry system (cont’d
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National registration is done by electoral
and boundaries commission for purpose
of facilitating voting as part of the
democratic process and to facilitate
access general and social services eg
transportation and health care services
For general statistical and demographic
information
Structure of Government (cont’d
The establishment of 30 community
councils to further the improve the
democratic process at the community
level