Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in
Social Protection
Trinidad & Tobago
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Approach:
Definition of Social Policy
Status of Social Policy in the Caribbean
(CARICOM including the OECS)
Main Institutional Arrangements
Challenges and Opportunities
Towards a better Way
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
1
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Social policy refers to: 1) those aims, objectives
and declared intentions of a range of
organizations in the public, private/business, civil
sectors and international community that are
intended to reduce poverty and to meet the
needs of the population, in order to improve their
well-being or welfare, and to promote the
development of the country; 2) the way these
declared aims, objectives and intentions are
translated into specific programmes and projects
for change; and 3) the monitored outcomes of
these interventions (Thomas, 2001).
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
2
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Trinidad & Tobago
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Status of Social Policy in the Caribbean
 distinctly curative – seeks to address the
failure or breakdown of mainstream policy education, employment.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
3
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
•
•
•
•
These measures have been categorized
into four broad areas:
Developmental – capacity building
Supportive – welfare, capacity to cope is
not addressed
Remedial – restoration to previous levels
Preventative – protection and increasing
resilience
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
4
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Governments have adopted policies based
on the individual or homogeneous group at
risk, rather than policies focused on
addressing the underlying cause of the
various social problems.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
5
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
 The main groups that configure the institutionalization of
social policy in the Caribbean are as follows:
• Women
• The Income Poor
• Elderly
• The Family
• Children and Youth
• Persons Living with HIV/AIDS
• Persons with Disabilities
• The Unemployed
Approach taken to address the various vulnerable
groups is welfare oriented rather than developmental.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
6
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Factors influencing institutionalization of social
policy in the Caribbean:
• Global pressures (human rights, globalization,
global norms and standards, migration).
• Regional initiatives (CSME and OECS Economic
Union)
• Millennium Development Goals and other
international agreements ( SIDS Programme of
Action, ICPD Programme of Action, Mauritius
Strategy)
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
7
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Main Institutional Arrangements
Past and Current Institutional
Arrangements are based on the curative
approach and the individual/group at risk
approach
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
8
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
 Separate Institutions Established: Ministries /
Departments / Units - Youth, Gender, Family, etc
 This arrangement separates the individual into
several ministries or departments.
 Youth are outside of the main social ministries in
9 out of 14 Caricom countries. (Exception:
Grenada has an exclusive MoY).
 The unemployed are not explicitly dealt with by
social policy. Treated as part of the income poor.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
9
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
 The following are inherent in the current
institutional arrangements for the
implementation of social policy:
1. fragmentation of services
2. bureaucratic delays in accessing
services across ministries / departments /
units / programmes.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
10
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
 Differential approaches in institutional arrangements for
policy development (including poverty reduction).
Jamaica – use of trend data from SLCs and other
surveys (1988)
Trinidad & Tobago – National Development Plan Vision 2020 (beyond MDGs 2015)
Commonwealth of Dominica – Growth and Social
Protection Strategy, Poverty Assessment and Report on
a Local Agenda for Achieving the MDGs.
There is still a lack of evidence policy decision-making.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
11
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Institutionalization of social policy –
Variations
in addressing the needs of
vulnerable groups
Children and Youth
- Treated as 2 distinct groups
- Youth are grouped with Ministries of Health, Education,
Sport or Culture.
- Youth conceptualized as a group at risk that requires
preventative assistance. Preventative measures will not
be able to adequately address the main issue of
unemployment among the youth.

11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
12
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Children are seen as a broad group that requires
remedial and supportive measures.
Children at risk or in unsafe environments are
the remit of ministries of Social Transformation,
Health or Justice.
Exceptions: Barbados, Jamaica
Highlight: inherent confusion of mission in
dealing with youth
Best Practice Grenada: Ministry of Youth,
activities span for developmental to remedial.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
13
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Women
Problems are more structural than personal.
Remedial policies address the personal problems.
Policies to address structural are more varied in approach
and effectiveness.
- Public institutions established to address women’s needs
are beset by lack of staff and other requisite resources
including funding.
- NGOs and other civil society groups have had to take up
an advocacy role.
- In the main social policies are remedial (personal
trauma).
- Current progammes do not protect the most vulnerable.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
14
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
•
•
•
•
According to Blank (2007) the main
constraints in dealing with the issue of
gender and women in the Caribbean are:
a overlapping and uncoordinated
programmes,
lack of transparent selection mechanisms,
lack of clear objectives,
modest monitoring and evaluation.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
15
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Persons With Disabilities
• Policies are mainly supportive (subventions and in-kind)
• Lack of sensitivity and integration towards PWDs in
OECS.
• There are different approaches to entrepreneurship:
- In OECS NGOs dominate the provision of services with
the support of governments
- In MDCs the approach of governments is more
developmental (Jamaica – The Abilities Foundation and
main Ministries) – IT, garment construction, horticulture,
landscaping. Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago less
integrative.
• This approach is not indicative of social policy for PWDs
across the CARICOM Region
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
16
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
The Unemployed
Developmental and preventative policies to address
unemployment.
Example: Employment services, training, technical services, micro
finance, advocacy for enterprise development, Enhance capability and
reducing capabilities
Measures are within the:
- Ministry of Labour (T&T)
- Ministry of Local Government (T&T
- Social Transformation (Saint Lucia)
- National Employment Bureau (Barbados)
Policies in social ministries are distinctly supportive – welfare transfers. (E.G. Barbados –
Unemployment Insurance Scheme, National Insurance Scheme).
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
17
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Income Poor
Social policy addressed through supportive programmes
mainly in the social ministries.
Developmental Programmes to enhance unemployment
–training in community centres
Non contributory pensions
Support from various ministries such as education and
health – school feeding programmes, book and uniform
assistance, free public health care, monetary grants,
clothing, food, payment of utility bills and rent, and house
repairs. Residential care is provided to children and the
elderly on a needs basis.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
18
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
There is a distinctly social welfarist approach to social policy.
There are increasing tendencies to a more developmental environment
to social policy.
There is a disconnect between the main line social ministry and other
“public goods” ministries.
There are fragmented approaches as they relate to policies for children,
youth and women.
Inter-agency co-operation is bureaucratic and time consuming.
There is an almost separate of youth from the main line social Ministry,
inspite of the multiple issues facing the youth.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
19
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
But there has been progress when compared to the
immediate post-independence era:
Rights-based Performance Encouraging in the following
areas (a few countries have not ratified the CESCR):
• Health (policy regarding HIV/AIDS lowest policy
performing area)
• Education
• Housing
• Justice
• Personal Security
• Freedom of association and speech
• Access to institutions
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
20
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Conclusion
Institutionalization of social policy is
distinctly supportive in relation to the main
social ministry
Interventions outside the main social
ministry result in more developmental
approaches to social policy.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
21
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Some impact has been seen on the orientation of
social policy from interventions within and
outside the social ministries.
• Education and Training – interventions are
mainly developmental. Preventative and
remedial aspects have been noted.
• Technical Assistance – developmental to the
individual, supportive and remedial to
organizations
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
22
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
• Infrastructural Provision – supportive in the
provision of residential care; developmental and
preventive in the case of communities.
• Resource Provision – essentially developmental
(support to micro enterprise initiatives).
Supportive and remedial in the case of
subventions to NGOs and CBOs dealing with
PLHIV/AIDS, PWDs.
• Care and Counselling – remedial as part of
safety net provision.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
23
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Advocacy – developmental. Substantial
progress noted in sensitizing the public to
issues confronting children, elderly, PWDs,
HIV/AIDS, women and gender.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
24
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
AREAS TO BIG UP
• Social policy is still geared towards welfare “handouts”
rather than developmental “leg-ups”. Empowerment as a
core element of a rights based approach is needed.
• The development facet of social policy. The other facets
(supportive, remedial, preventive) will never cease to
exist in Caribbean societies.
• Institutional changes will be required
• Integrated programmes and inter-agency co-ordination
will be required to avoided time delays and non-servicing
of clients. A central agency will ease bureaucratic
delays.
• It has become necessary to shift the focus from
individuals to households (CDB, 2004)
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
25
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
These actions will address the challenges
facing the institutionalization of social
policy in the Caribbean which have been
categorized as:
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
26
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Structural – a pronounced level of
duplication parallels a lack of coordination.
Procedural – different ways of doing the
same things even within an individual
ministry.
Ideological – governments take full
responsibility for social policy.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
27
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Recommendation
Less state intervention, the establishment
of a purposeful state where facilitation is
dominant over application and duplication
(Humphreys, 2008).
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
28
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
The Way Forward
Education and Training as a developmental and
preventative measure with a specific focus on
vulnerable groups.
Technical Assistance and Resources to NGOs and
CBOs should be made on condition that their
interventions are developmental in nature.
Supportive policy leads to a lack of empowerment
and exclusion from economic activity. Attention
must be paid to developmental policy measures.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
29
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
A focus on developmental social policy will:
• Enhance participation in economic activity
through empowerment.
• Encourages greater, more productive
participation in the economy as employers
and employees.
• Enable Caribbean societies to consolidate
social and economic policies in the face of
global pressures.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
30
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Given that the majority of empowering
initiatives lie outside the main social
ministry, it is perhaps instructive that the
“right” type of institutionalization of social
policy is not taking place in the “right”
institutional setting.
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
31
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Certain realities will force us to:
- Globalization
- OECS Economic Union
- Trinidad & Tobago and OECS Union
- CSME
- Migration of the Human Resource
- Demographic Situation
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
32
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Steps must be taken by:
Governments of the Caribbean must be the main
facilitators in this process supported by nongovernmental agencies including the private
sector.
Development partners need to respond more
aggressively.
The research community needs to explore and
provide policy prescriptions more regularly
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
33
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Questions:
Is there a case for harmonization of social
policy?
Does the current state of the institutionalization of
social policy facilitate harmonization?
Can harmonization facilitate institutionalization of
social policy?
Should we begin to explore the new frontiers of
social policy, e.g. social capital?
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
34
Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social
Protection
Institutionalization of Social Policy in the
Caribbean
Perhaps we should begin by exploring
those questions in the first instance.
THANK YOU !!!
11 September 2008
Ezra Jn. Baptiste, Social Policy
Unit, OECS Secretariat
35