Discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on food security and nutrition in the Caribbean and the role of social protection in national response efforts

Overall Purpose:

• Share insights on the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of persons in the English and Dutch-Speaking Caribbean, with a specific focus on food security and livelihoods.
• Communicate key trends on the use of social protection address access to food and other essential needs in a crisis.
• Showcase government-led experiences in the Caribbean to scale-up social protection coverage as part of national COVID-19 response strategies.

Date:

September 21st, 2020

2:00 PM Jamaica, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Mexico, Ecuador
3:00 PM Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Venezuela, Bolivia ,Chile, Paraguay
4:00 PM Argentina, Uruguay

Agenda:

 2:00pm - 2:05pm  Opening and Welcome
Julian Suarez, Vice-President of Sustainable Development at CAF (Development Bank of Latin America)

2:05pm - 2:10pm Introductory Remarks
Regis Chapman, Head of Office, WFP Caribbean

2:10pm - 2:20pm  Shock-Responsive Social Protection and COVID-19: A regional perspective                  
Sarah Bailey, Programme Manager, WFP Caribbean

2:20pm - 3:00pm  Panel Discussion – The use of social protection in national COVID-19 Responses
 
Moderator
Juliette Maughan, Partnership Officer, WFP Caribbean

Panelists

• Suzette Morris, Director for Social Security, Ministry of Labour and Social Services, Jamaica.
• Ms Petrona Davies, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Social Development, British Virgin Islands
  Mrs Velda Octave-Joseph, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Empowerment, Youth Development, Sports and Local Government, Saint Lucia
  Mr. Vijay Gangapersad, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Development and Family Services, Trinidad and Tobago

3:00 pm - 3:30pm Q&A ALL – Open Floor

3:20pm Closing Remarks
Gianpiero Leoncini Representative in Trinidad and Tobago, CAF