A diagnostic and action plan is being developed to address crime as a systemic regional challenge, as Caribbean countries continue to grapple with rising levels of violence in several island states, a top United Nations official here has announced.
Deputy Resident Representative United Nations Development Programme Barbados and Eastern Caribbean, Stephanie Ziebell, said regional leaders and the UN will shortly advance discussions on the plan in St. Kitts.
“Later this month, we’ll be having a dialogue in St. Kitts, actually hosted by the prime minister [Dr Terrance Drew], around the UN CARICOM dialogue on what to do next and what are priorities for the region.”
The initiative is part of a broader collaboration between CARICOM and the UNDP to address crime through a public health lens, she said on Tuesday at the official launch of the UN Eastern Caribbean 2025 Annual Results Report.
“Building on high-level discussions in 2025, a CARICOM-UNDP diagnostic and CARICOM UN Action Plan are currently under development, aiming to fill a much-needed gap as the first regionwide evidence-based assessment that looks at crime and violence in the Caribbean as a shared systemic challenge.”
The process is aimed at identifying root causes, weaknesses in systems and priority reforms, Ziebell explained.
“Building on this, the CARICOM UN Action Plan translates the analysis into a coordinated regional framework with practical priorities, shared standards, and agreed roles for CARICOM institutions, member states, and UN partners.”
The broader UN approach to peace, safety and justice is focused on strengthening institutions and communities, she said.
“A key focus of our collective work is building stronger institutions and safer communities grounded in careful analysis, partnership, and a commitment to conflict-sensitive, gender-responsive approaches.
“Justice and safety must be accessible for everyone, especially women and girls, persons with disabilities, and people at the margins, so that no one is left behind.”
Ziebell added that strong institutions help societies withstand multiple shocks.
“These systems help societies withstand shocks, whether those shocks come from disasters, economic stress, or rising forms of violence and insecurity.”
The UN is also supporting efforts to strengthen responses to gender-based violence and improve human rights protections, she said
“Together, we have supported countries in the region in strengthening [gender-based violence] prevention and response frameworks, supporting human rights protection systems, advancing regional agreements on domestic violence prevention and organised crime, enhancing border management, forensic capacity, and law enforcement cooperation.”
Ziebell also pointed to the Canada-funded PACE Justice Programme, which is being implemented across eight Caribbean countries, including Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts and Nevis.
The programme is helping to modernise criminal justice systems and reduce delays.
Ziebell said: “Support has included court equipment, digital case management assistance, crime scene investigation training, case management workshops, restorative justice tools, attorneys general coordination, standard operating procedure harmonisation, AI readiness work, and backlog reduction dialogue.”
These reforms are aimed at strengthening investigations, improving due process and building public trust in justice systems.
She pledged continued UN support for governments, civil society and development partners to strengthen prevention and improve access to justice across the region.
(LG)
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