In an effort to advance and enhance social protection in Saint Lucia, the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, and Empowerment is upgrading the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) Action Plan (2022-2030).
On March 14, the Ministry conducted a pivotal workshop with stakeholders from other government ministries and social sector agencies to refine this framework, developed under the expertise of consultant Augustus Cadette.
This framework will be instrumental in guiding the implementation, tracking, and assessment of initiatives under the NSPP Action Plan, ensuring measurable progress in supporting the poor and vulnerable.
Technical Coordinator for the Human Capital Resilience Project, Juliana Daniel-Foster, asserted that the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework is essential to the Ministry’s comprehensive Social Protection Reform agenda, which is backed by the World Bank. She highlighted the necessity for collaboration across ministries—including Health, Education, Labor, and Gender—as well as partnerships with civil society to forge a unified and effective system.
“The focus will be on creating a robust Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the National Social Protection Policy, adopted in May 2023,” she stated.
Daniel-Foster further noted that, “The institutional arrangements will establish Equity as the leader of the social protection system, in partnership with the Ministries of Health, Education, and Labour, along with the Department of Gender, working cohesively to strengthen the entire system and deliver vital services to the poor and vulnerable.
With our collaboration with Civil Society, we will successfully launch a platform for social protection.”
Permanent Secretary Dr. Charmaine Hippolyte-Emmanuel emphasized the critical importance of this initiative.
“To achieve significant and lasting change, our policies and initiatives must be driven by accountable evidence and continuous development. An efficient Monitoring and Evaluation Framework is essential at this stage,” she declared.
The Permanent Secretary added, “By establishing this framework, we will effectively monitor developments, evaluate outcomes, and make informed decisions that enhance our efficiency and inform our action plan.”
With the finalized Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, the Ministry is committed to creating a more coordinated and purposeful social protection system, ensuring impactful improvements in the lives of Saint Lucia’s most vulnerable citizens.