Development Unit works to develop Social Policy
Brades, Montserrat, April 7th 2006: The Development Unit is developing a highly inclusive Social Policy aimed at improving the quality of life of all Montserratians. The social policy will facilitate the building of linkages and partnerships between the Montserratian society, the political directorate and policy makers.
This is a continuation of our efforts to be more people centred and socially inclusive. We are committed to integrating social concerns into government planning and action.
Our efforts to date include the publication of a Participatory Poverty and Hardship Assessment (PPA) in 2001, which defined hardships faced by Montserratians, their coping strategies and recommendations for government action to improve the quality of life for all.
The PPA also contributed to the continued revision of social welfare benefit, the targeting of social programmes to vulnerable groups and the inclusion of social concerns in project memorandums, development plans and programmes.
The social policy is being developed through a consultative process. A team of highly trained facilitators will be conducting focus group consultations with a sample of community based organizations, civic groups, business groups, and non-governmental organizations .
Consultations will be conducted during the months of April and May, 2006. The key outputs of the consultations are:
1. A social development vision for Montserrat clearly describing our future desired social condition and aspirations;
2. The social development goals to be pursued in order to achieve the vision
3. A set of social indicators to measure the impact of Government’s action on the society as a whole. ##Ends##
Government Information Services (GIS). All rights reserved. Copyright 2006.
