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Jamaica

Monthly Updates

December 2022

After the measure was rejected in November, the Jamaican government reinstated a state of emergency (SOE) in several areas across the island on 6 December, followed by a renewed SOE on 28 December, effective until 11 January 2023. Jamaica, which has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, previously imposed similar measures over several parishes on 15 November, but that SOE ended after two weeks when the Senate refused to extend it.  The state of emergency is meant to allow authorities to arrest people and search buildings without a warrant in order to rein in rising violence. This has drawn heavy criticism from political opponents and human rights activists, who have warned against a repeat of police brutality and arbitrary detentions that were observed during previous states of emergency in Jamaica.

November 2022

On 15 November, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared a State of Public Emergency (SoE) in an attempt to control rising crime linked to gang violence. According to official figures, Jamaica, with the second highest murder rates in the world, has seen a nearly 7 per cent increase in murders since last year. SoEs were declared in several parishes and police divisions across the island, allowing authorities increased powers to arrest suspects and search buildings. However, the SoE came to an end on 29 November after the proposed extension failed to achieve a two-thirds majority in the Senate.

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GSoD Indices Data 2012-2021

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
2 973 460
System of government
Parliamentary system
Head of government
Prime Minister Andrew Holness (since 2016)
Head of government party
Jamaica Labour Party (JLP)
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
First Past the Post
Women in lower or single chamber
28.6%
Women in upper chamber
38.1%
Last legislative election
2020
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
1.97
Head of state
King Charles III
Selection process for head of state
Hereditary or election by hereditary state rulers
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
11/11/2020
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
70.59%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No Action
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
State Party
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
No Action
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
American Convention on Human Rights
State Party
Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
No Action
in
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Early Warning System BETA

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Low risk of democratic breakdown Low risk of democratic breakdown (BETA)
Low risk of democratic backsliding Low risk of democratic backsliding (BETA)

Attributes Over Time

Representative government neutral Representative Government
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Fundamental rights
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Checks on government
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Impartial administration
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Participatory engagement
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023

GSoD Indices

Regime type
0 10