Building a Jamaica Where No Child Is Left Behind
Improving efficiency and service delivery for children and others with disabilities
Since late July of this year, persons with disabilities in Jamaica have been able to access government services using a digital app UNICEF helped develop called I Am Able.
The app, which connects users to a digital services system run by the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD), is especially handy in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. In its most recent situation report on ongoing emergency response and recovery efforts, UNICEF praised the app's potential to further strengthen the country's social safety net.
By providing a platform for the government to transfer cash via digital voucher to eligible households, the app is reducing logistical barriers while prioritizing inclusion, stabilizing local markets and providing real-time tracking of voucher redemption, UNICEF reported.
"With an estimated 450,000 to 500,000 persons living with disabilities in Jamaica, this innovation has significant potential for nationwide scale-up, transforming how social protection systems serve vulnerable populations," the report stated.
Learn more about how UNICEF supports children in Jamaica
Accessing assistance independently, with dignity
I Am Able was developed and launched by the Jamaica Council in collaboration with UNICEF, Jamaica's Ministry of Labor and Social Security and eGov Jamaica, an information and communication technology (ICT) company that implements ICT projects for the government.
After registering with the app, individuals can apply for benefits, update their records and access vital information remotely and securely from any device with an internet connection.
While announcing plans for I Am Able's launch, Jamaica's Labor and Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles Jr. called the app "a bold step toward inclusion and accessibility" by eliminating the need for applicants to travel to ministry offices and reducing approval time from 30 days to a few minutes.
In an Instagram post promoting the new digital capabilities, the JCPD wrote: "This step forward is about more than technology — it’s about building a Jamaica where no one is left behind, where access is not a privilege but a right."
The app can accept applications for many forms of support, including tax exemptions and grants, among other benefits. In addition to cash support, the government offers physiotherapy, assistive devices and early intervention services, reaching thousands of children.
"This step forward is about more than technology — it’s about building a Jamaica where no one is left behind, where access is not a privilege but a right." — Instagram post by UNICEF Jamaica partner, the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities
UNICEF has long supported government-run programs for children with disabilities while also supporting policy reforms. Improving efficiencies across service delivery is considered critical for helping address child poverty and achieve progress toward a fully inclusive society where all children are healthy, protected, educated and respected.
Learn more about how UNICEF supports children with disabilities
Right now, the lives of the most vulnerable children hang in the balance as conflicts and crises jeopardize the care and protection that they deserve. Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support ongoing U.S. investments in foreign assistance.
