The Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, and Empowerment is again advancing efforts to strengthen social protection in Saint Lucia with the development of a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) Action Plan (2022-2030).

On March 14, 2025, the Ministry hosted a key workshop with stakeholders from government ministries and social sector agencies to refine the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. This framework, crafted under the guidance of consultant Augustus Cadette, will guide the implementation, tracking, and assessment of initiatives under the NSPP Action Plan, ensuring measurable progress in supporting the poor and vulnerable.

Technical Coordinator for the Human Capital Resilience Project, Juliana Daniel-Foster, emphasized that the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework is essential to the Ministry’s broader Social Protection Reform agenda, supported by the World Bank. She highlighted the importance of collaboration across ministries, including Health, Education, Labor, and Gender, as well as partnerships with civil society to create a unified, effective system.

“The task of a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the National Social Protection Policy, which was adopted in May 2023, will be the focus. The institutional arrangements I speak to are the partnership between Equity as the lead of the social protection system, with the Ministries of Health, Education, and Labor, as well as the Department of Gender, working toward strengthening the entire system and delivering services to the poor and vulnerable, and with our relationship with Civil Society represented today, we’ve moved towars launching a platform for social protection.

Permanent Secretary Dr. Charmaine Hippolyte-Emmanuel underscored the significance of this initiative. “For us to have a significant and long-lasting effect, our policies and initiatives must be informed by accountability evidence and ongoing development, and of course, an efficient Monitoring and Evaluation Framework is critical at this point. By creating this framework, we will be able to monitor developments, assess results, and make inform choices that improve our efficiency and also tell our action plan.”

With the finalized Monitoring and Evaluation Framework the Ministry aims to create a more coordinated and results-driven social protection system, ensuring meaningful improvements in the lives of Saint Lucia’s most vulnerable citizens.