Tag: discrimination

International Women’s Day 2024: Stand Up for Jamaica says women and girls must be protected, and I agree

March 8, 2024

Tomorrow (Friday, March 8) is International Women’s Day. As usual, there are overarching themes, hashtags and slogans. That’s all fine. But, to me the most important message of all is that women’s rights are human rights – as Hillary Clinton said in a speech in Beijing when she was First Lady, back in 1995. Simple. … More International Women’s Day 2024: Stand Up for Jamaica says women and girls must be protected, and I agree

Human rights is about humanity! Messages from Stand Up for Jamaica, and Benjamin Zephaniah

December 11, 2023

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I believe our Government has a nonchalant approach to human rights. There are some ways in which this is quite obvious, and others in which it is more subtle. Some issues seem to be categorised as “international issues” that don’t relate closely to our island – climate change, … More Human rights is about humanity! Messages from Stand Up for Jamaica, and Benjamin Zephaniah

Caribbean Observatory calls for repeal of discriminatory laws infringing LGBTQ+ rights

July 7, 2022

The Caribbean Observatory on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights is an accredited member of the Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation and the International Planned Parenthood Federation. It is a civil society-led initiative to conduct social monitoring and track progress towards the advancement of integrated  SRHR and gender-based violence (GBV) in the region while advocating for improved … More Caribbean Observatory calls for repeal of discriminatory laws infringing LGBTQ+ rights

The ruling on Nzinga King raises long-standing discrimination issues in Jamaica

February 11, 2022

It has not been a good week; not for the environment (permits were issued for the mining in Cockpit Country to go ahead) – or for human rights. On Wednesday, February 9, after a wait of around seven months, our Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn announced that she is recommending that no criminal … More The ruling on Nzinga King raises long-standing discrimination issues in Jamaica

Jamaica needs to step up its inclusion of persons with disabilities in 2022

December 5, 2021

Yesterday (December 3) was the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and I am glad my friend and blogger Wayne Campbell wrote about it. You can find his post here. It took Jamaica seven years to bring the Disabilities Act into force after it was passed by Parliament in 2014; this will finally happen in … More Jamaica needs to step up its inclusion of persons with disabilities in 2022

Black Lives Matter: BirdsCaribbean Stands in Solidarity

June 5, 2020

Dear Members of the BirdsCaribbean Community, Recent, tragic events serve as a stark reminder that racism and racial injustices continue to tear apart and divide communities around the world. Direct and indirect violence, discrimination, and oppression against black people cannot be tolerated. Our hearts go out to those that have been—and continue to be—hurt and … More Black Lives Matter: BirdsCaribbean Stands in Solidarity

Unfair and Unequal: New UNDP Report Sheds Light on Discontent in Latin America and the Caribbean

December 10, 2019

Well, not so much the Caribbean, you might think. However, in case we had not noticed, there have been rumblings in Dominica of late (politics and then some), and Haiti has seen a year of protests. As I noted in my previous post, “Poor People Fed Up”! There is a lot of discontent, in particular … More Unfair and Unequal: New UNDP Report Sheds Light on Discontent in Latin America and the Caribbean

Human Rights Day in Jamaica: Against a Background of the Arts, Much to Be Done

December 11, 2018

Human Rights Day this year was particularly significant for the world. We have to think “world” on Human Rights Day, and then get out our magnifying glasses and zoom in on a map of Jamaica and the Caribbean. For all of us, it was the 70th Anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of … More Human Rights Day in Jamaica: Against a Background of the Arts, Much to Be Done

Health Ministry Delivers Complaint Management System Manual, Toolkit

July 5, 2018

The issue of discrimination in our healthcare system, especially against vulnerable populations such as those living with HIV and the LGBT community, has been a major concern for as long as I can remember. I am really pleased to see that there is now a formal system in place to address this, with USAID funding. … More Health Ministry Delivers Complaint Management System Manual, Toolkit