Increase Access to Information on Human Rights (JM0011)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?

The Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs (MLCA) was established in January 2022 to take charge of and give focused attention to the Government’s Legislative Agenda and its legal and constitutional reform aspirations. The creation of the MLCA is the Government’s attempt to holistically revisit the legal and constitutional infrastructure of the State and accelerate the pace of reform. The MLCA has been mandated to reform the Constitution so that it effectively serves and reflects the will of the people of Jamaica. A robust Legal Education Programme has been crafted and implemented to heighten awareness of the Constitution and Laws of Jamaica. The protection of human rights through a responsibility framework priority underscores the MLCA's commitment to heighten awareness of people’s constitutional rights and address lingering human rights concerns. Access to justice is a critical pillar for equitable and sustainable social and economic development. However, access to justice remains a complex issue, characterized by economic, social, structural, cultural and institutional barriers, including citizen disengagement, the intricacy and cost of legal processes, as well as the need to deepen partnerships across Government. This also includes the unique challenge which flows from low levels of awareness among stakeholders and the general public on human rights, freedoms, and the responsibilities of citizens, as provided in Chapter 3 of the Constitution, the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (See for example, Jamaica Citizen Scorecard). To date, this has led to a failure to translate and apply human rights concepts which has resulted in documented failures in recognizing when human rights violations take place. There are also constraints with respect to the existing sources of information on the justice system, including the limited functionality, relevance and effectiveness of the existing MOJ laws of Jamaica webpage. There are significant information gaps on the existing webpage, and there are delays in the uploading of new legislation and legislative changes.

What is the commitment?

Increase access to information on and public awareness of the Justice System and Human Rights How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem? The Jamaica Legal Information Portal (JLIP) will increase access to information on all existing Laws, regulations and subsidiary legislation, official information contained in the Jamaica Gazette publications, and timely notification of judicial and legislative developments. The JLIP will be in keeping with international best practice premised on the principle that every person has the right of free access to public legal information, which empowers citizens and supports efficient and timely justice processes. TheHuman Rights and Justice Public Education Programme will provide increased information on human rights and open governance to a broad crosssection of stakeholders and the Jamaican public, including children and youth. It may be noted that the subject areas of legal reform, public education on the laws of Jamaica, constitutional reform and human rights fall under the portfolio of the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, while the subject area of the justice system falls under the portfolio of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ).

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?

The commitment to increase access to information on and public awareness of the Justice System and Human Rights is relevant to the following OGP values: 1. Access to Information: The Jamaica Legal Information Portal will increase access to information on all existing Laws, regulations and subsidiary legislation, official information contained in the Jamaica Gazette publications, and timely notification of judicial and legislative developments. The Human Rights and Justice Public Education Programme will provide information on human rights and open governance to a broad cross-section of stakeholders and the Jamaican public, including children and youth. 2. Civic Participation: The Human Rights and Justice Public Education Programme will involve the participation of civil society organizations involved in human rights. 3. Technology and Innovation for Openness and Accountability: The Jamaica Legal Information Portal and the virtual, online and social media components of the Human Rights and Justice Public Education Programme will deploy technology to increase access to information on and public awareness of the Justice System and Human Rights in Jamaica.

Additional information

The commitment to increase access to information on and public awareness of the Justice System and Human Rights is aligned with: • The Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms (Constitutional Amendment) Act 2011, which expanded the rights in Chapter III of the Jamaican Constitution • Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) • International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) • Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development Plan – National Outcome No. 6 Effective Governance, including National Strategy 6-2 Reform the Justice System and 6-3 Ensure Tolerance and Respect for Human Rights and Freedoms • Medium Term Socio-Economic Policy Framework (MTF) for the relevant three-year period • Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – Target 16.3 Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all

Milestone Activity with a verifiable deliverable
Start Date | End Date |
Establish Jamaica Legal Information Portal (JLIP) | June 20242 | June 2025
Conduct stakeholder consultations on preparation of Human Rights and Justice Public Education Programme | November 2024 | January 2025
Complete preparation of Human Rights and Justice Public Education Programme | February 2025 | April 2025 Implement Human Rights and Justice Public Education Programme | May 2025 | December 2025