Jamaica was a memberof the UN Security Council that led to the passing of UN Resolution 1325: Women, Peace and  Security (Adopted October 31,2000). The resolution calls for the full and equal participation of women in all peace  and security initiatives; There is also a parallel call for the streamlining of gender issues with a focus on the context of armed conflict, peace making and reconstruction.  A  Gender , Peace and Security Action Plan is being proposed as a crucial component of  community intervention strategy. The suggested Resource for this a publication by UN-INSTRAW Securing Equality,Engendering Peace: A guide to policy and planning on women,peace and security(UNSCR 1325). This does not have to be a separate plan but a component of the overall plan of action.

• one of the bedrock of our proposal is the need to consolidate data on the impact of armed conflict  at the community level.  These indicators  have been mentioned in the  JAMAICA 2015  project by the Jamaica Social Policy Evaluation program as important for social integration, building social capital and overall civil participation in democratic process. The project need indicators. Its imperative that each stakeholder  identify the indicators associated with thier arm of intervention so that we can examine a matrix of mandates to assess the coverage of our intervention; identify gaps in implementation and further areas of collaboration.
• The Millennium Development Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for Development is a cornerstone of Jamaica Partners for Peace Initiative. At this time of our mid-year review let us be mindful of indicator 48: Personal computers per 1000 people.  This  technological demographic is key to our assessment  of our efficacy and access 
• Finally  research and development into the issue of gangs is a community level inquiry. The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women classifies violence by level of occurrence: household; community: State. This is an opportunity to focus on the community level impact and the community infrastructure  and its adminstrative linkage with the state machinery; Access to information on Governance model, community building , human rights education are but a few collaborative, strategic directions  we can take.

Jamaica has an international signature of  violent crimes.  I think this committe is in a strategic position to devise a creative  solution, that is participatory, comprehensive, awareness-raising, accountability and ownership. A gender analysis is a catalyst  to the integration of human development factor to the solution.

My comment is directed at the request posted by Sandra a few minutes ago. First, it is very important that especially civil society persons and organizations, but also state and private sector entities, take note of the Jamaica Civil Society Coalition which has now delivered two letters to the Prime Minister, the second appearing in a full page ad in Wednesday's (July 7) Gleaner, the Sports section. The breadth of this Coalition, shown in the list of bodies signing the letter, gives it considerable weight and makes its appearance a matter of huge significance. No government with any pretension to democracy or hope of endurance could afford to ignore its very serious recommendations and urgings. The spirit in which its deliberations are conducted, the mutual respect displayed by members and the decisions taken at yesterday's meeting about how it is to be structured and behave -- these all indicate a serious intention to create a body that will be much more than a three-day wonder - it intends to survive and persist in its aims.

Second, I want to call the attention of readers of this comment the need for civil society entities engaged in social intervention in volatile communities to look urgently toward creating a coordinating mechanism among themselves. This was a point of importance emerging from yesterday's meeting. Its importance stems from the need for civil society to offer itself as a competent partner of the state in the Community Renewal Programme that is currently being put together by the Government in consultation with civil society and private sector for presentation to donors for assistance. The Concept Note formulated by the PIOJ at the request of the PM had as its aim the formulation of a CRP. One civil society agency has already indicated willingness to lead the organizing process that I am speaking about. Others should take up the challenge and join in the effort. It is critical at this juncture for moving the country forward after the recent events in West Kingston and nationally.

Horace Levy