JAMAICA: SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR INCREASED RESILIENCE AND OPPORTUNITY (SPIRO)

active

Prospective

The proposed project comprises 5 components:Component 1: Enhanced Resilience through Unemployment Insurance (UI).This component supports the establishment of the UI in Jamaica, which will provide protection against the risk of job loss caused by idiosyncratic and covariate shocks. This intervention increases resilience, including to climate change, serves as a safety net for workers and their families, and acts as an automatic stabilizer of aggregate demand in times of crisis. This component supports the development of the UI framework, including consultations with key labor market stakeholders, and the establishment and initial implementation of the UI scheme.Component 2: Increased Opportunity through Integrated Employment Services.This component supports the strengthening of labor market services, focused on vulnerable groups. This component is linked to component 1, as it will support employment services for UI beneficiaries , but it goes beyond this. Labor market services will be provided to key vulnerable groups, including unemployed workers (UI and non-UI beneficiaries), youth transitioning to the labor market or already in the labor market (including inactive youth), vulnerable women, and persons with disabilities, among others. These groups are closely aligned with the vulnerable groups defined in Jamaica’s Social Protection Strategy. This component supports the strengthening of Employment Services (ES), including as labor market intelligence, intermediation, career and skills guidance, and referrals to other programs; the development and implementation of a Labor Market Information System (LMIS); and technical assistance to increase knowledge on labor markets and related interventions. Component 3: Strengthened Systems and Capacity for Adaptive Social Protection. This component aims to support modernization efforts and capacity building to increase the adaptive capacity of the Social Protection System. This component would support institutional capacity building through the development and implementation of information systems, replacing rudimentary and manual procedures; technical assistance to modernize key programs and processes and build the evidence base needed for continuous improvement; and capacity building of MLSS and key social protection stakeholders.Component 4: Project Management. This component will cover essential positions for project management, including an environmental and social specialist/M&E specialist, and procurement and FM specialists, among other operational expenses.Component 5: Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC). This component would have a zero-fund allocation and would be activated to provide rapid access to Bank financing for immediate recovery needs during a crisis or emergency. The operational manual for this CERC will specifically reference activities related to addressing the food and fuel crisis, such as emergency cash transfers or increases to the UI reserve fund should unemployment rise sharply.

FY17 - Social Protection

World Bank Group

Project

Commercial, Government