Child Poverty and Disparities in Jamaica
Overview of the situation of children
Puntos destacados
This study is not only a component of the Global Study of Child Poverty and Disparities commissioned and guided by UNICEF in 40 countries, but also seeks to extend local knowledge on the poverty and related aspects of Jamaican children. Estimates of poverty in Jamaica have been made annually since 1989 based on the Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions (JSLC).
The percentage of the population below the national poverty line has been declining steadily, and the estimates of the percentage of the child population below the poverty line has followed this trend while maintaining a margin greater than the national average.
This study investigates the deprivation of Jamaican children in seven (7) dimensions selected by UNICEF’s Global Study Guide, using data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) of 2005 with criteria for “severe” and “less severe” deprivation adopted from the Bristol Study.
Of the seven (7) dimensions, data was collected on only four (4) – sanitation, water, education and health. No data was collected on the deprivation of children with respect to food, shelter and deprivation. The sample size of 5813 children proved to be too small to draw robust inferences.
However, the study indicated that of the four (4) areas where data was collected, the highest frequency of “severe” deprivation was estimated for health, 9%, followed by water, 5%. No Jamaican children were reported to be severely deprived of education, and only a marginal 1% was severely deprived of sanitation.
