Human Rights

Jamaica has consistently shown a commitment to respecting and protecting human rights. Chapter 15 traces this evolution of Jamaica’s position on a number of human rights issues from the early post-independence era until present. The country has been a pioneer and major advocate for non-discrimination, racial equality, and African liberation movements. Further, Jamaica has ratified most major treaties in this regard. This chapter explores the human rights aspects of Jamaica’s foreign policy as reflected in its core treaty obligations and practice. Despite the country’s pronouncements of commitment, it has experienced challenges and shortcomings in the application of some aspects of human rights. So, for example, there have been criticisms on the high number of extrajudicial killings and inhumane prison conditions in Jamaica. This chapter considers the areas in which Jamaica needs to improvement or has a mixed record with respect to human rights. These include racial and gender equality, the death penalty and reconciling social and economic rights with civil and political rights. The discussion closes with a juxtaposition of Jamaica’s record of commitment to the United Nations human rights regime with some of the troubling issues on the right to life, corporal punishment and human trafficking that have tarnished the country’s reputation.