Lead (Pb) Concentration in Paints The International Centre for Nuclear and Environmental Sciences (ICENS) in collaboration with the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), conducted research on lead concentrations in paint in the Jamaican market. The results directly supported the promulgation of the Draft Jamaican Standard (DJS) 358:2022 – the Jamaican specification on the limit of lead content in paint and similar coating materials – which was adopted in June 2022. This is a compulsory standard and will come into force on January 1, 2023. Projects in the ICENS operational plan cover all four national goals and five national outcomes including, a Healthy and Stable Population, World Class Education and Training, Security and Safety, a Technology-Enabled Society, Hazard Risk Reduction, and Adaptation to Climate Change. 5.5 ADVOCACY The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Unit in the Office of the Deputy Principal, UWI, Mona, was formally established in August 2021. The Unit works assiduously to address the critical issues that affect access to quality education. Some of these include: • the need for increased mental health services for both students and staff; • the increased burden placed on women, being caregivers of children and families, and the difficulty of caring for others while maintaining their careers; • the safety of our students, particularly those in homes with domestic violence, sexual violence, and intimate partner violence; and • the impact of socioeconomic status on acquiring basic technology to allow for participation in online learning platforms. The EDI Unit re-engaged staff to discuss the support needed to establish their own Faculty EDI teams. The Faculty EDI teams are tasked with identifying priority EDI issues within the Faculty, and possible solutions to address them.
potential research in EDI-related thematic areas that affect students, staff, and other UWI stakeholders.
Efforts made to Promote Greater Activism, Public Advocacy and Public Policy for Persons with Disabilities Efforts were made by the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) in the 2021-2022 academic year, to sensitise The UWI community to the need for codes of practice which govern the employment and education of students and staff with disabilities. One example was the hosting of a seminar on “Guidelines for Maintaining Appropriate Standards of Professional Behaviour” on September 9, 2021. Senator Floyd Morris, the Director of The UWI Centre for Disability Studies (UWICDS), advocated for regional governments to establish specific legislation to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. This included advocacy for the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) to set the appointed day for The Disabilities Act 2014 to come into effect. On January 12, 2022, the Faculty hosted a (ZOOM and in-person) seminar entitled “The Disabilities Act 2014: What’s In It For Me?” which was spearheaded by Senator Floyd Morris. The session featured presentations by the Honourable Karl Samuda, Minister of Labour and Social Security, and Dr. Saadia Sanchez Vegas, Director of the UNESCO Caribbean Office. The session was chaired by Dr. Heather Ricketts, Deputy Dean, who also delivered remarks on behalf of the Dean, Professor David Tennant. A robust panel discussion was held, and included participation from Dr. Christine Hendricks, Executive Director of the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD), and Ms. Barbara Mckoy, Director of the Jamaica Society for the Blind. Many of the issues raised concerned the treatment of persons with disabilities, the day-to-day challenges which persons with disabilities face, the importance of registering with the JCPD, and the mechanisms for reporting discrimination on the grounds of disability. On January 18, 2022 at 9:00 pm, Senator Floyd Morris also made a media appearance on Balancing Justice, aired on RJR 94FM, to discuss The Disabilities Act 2014.
for medical and nursing students, would make it more sustainable and a part of the standard of care. While The UWI School of Nursing (UWISON) recently initiated the integration of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in the nursing education curriculum in a very limited way, comprehensive pre-service training on VAWG was not previously integrated in the existing curricula in Jamaica for training of doctors and nurses. The advocacy objectives were to secure a sustainable commitment from The UWI Mona’s Faculty of Medical Sciences, to train health care professionals to be aware of issues surrounding VAWG, and develop their basic skills to respond appropriately to survivors of VAWG. The Faculty of Medical Sciences at The UWI Mona, has expressed its commitment to the integration in the MBBS and B.Sc. Nursing programmes of a curriculum developed to address Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). This is in line with the Faculty’s commitment to apply principles of social accountability and human rights, and to provide patient-centered care that responds to the priority health needs of Jamaica’s population. Dr. Cynthia Pitter is the lead on this initiative. An agreement
tremendous success with the regulations to guide the implementation of the Disabilities Act 2014 being approved by the Parliament of Jamaica. The implementation of the legislation came into effect on February 14, 2022. Violence Against Women and Girls - The FMS Partnership with the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) Rationale for the Pre-service Training Gender-based violence results in outcomes that include physical injuries, disabilities, mental illness, sexually transmitted infections, and risky behaviours such as smoking and harmful use of alcohol and drugs. These become risk factors for non-communicable diseases such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. Healthcare providers are well placed to address issues associated with gender-based violence, and it is important to train them to quickly identify the signs and provide quick intervention. Integrating this type of training in the pre-service curricula
There is need for a Campus climate survey, or in the interim, micro surveys, which would identify
The advocacy of The UWICDS experienced
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UWI Mona Annual Report 2021 - 2022
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