Joint Media Release — Wednesday, February 23, 2022
The Caribbean has a strong history of intra-regional movement for work, trade, leisure, and following the impact of a crisis, particularly in the OECS region. The displacement of 20% of the population of Saint Vincent from their homes as a result of the La Soufriere eruption is a stark reminder of the disruption disasters can have on the lives of people. The OECS Commission and the United Nations World Food Programme have collaborated to produce a report on the use of social protection in response to shocks in the Eastern Caribbean with a focus on migration and displacement.
The report provides an analysis of the regional social protection policy framework in the context of migration and displacement and identifies key challenges and gaps for non-nationals in accessing social support programmes. While citizens in the OECS enjoy free movement within the sub-region, in times of crisis when people have lost everything, receiving assistance in another country through national social protection systems remains a challenge. Many countries restrict foreigners’ access to social protection schemes on the same basis as nationals.
Among the report’s key recommendations are the development of standardised registration tools for people displaced by shocks when they arrive in another country, and referral to services including social protection. The report also highlights the need for sensitization campaigns for migrants on legal protection, education and medical care; policies that support remittances from the diaspora with reduced costs for transfers; and options to support social protection for migrants through international funding agencies.