Human Rights and Policy Advocacy
A core strategic priority for JN+ is strengthening the policy and legal framework surrounding integrated sexual and reproductive health and HIV services. For treatment to be truly effective, it must exist within a social and legal environment that protects the rights of every individual. Advocacy efforts therefore focus on ensuring that national policies reflect the lived realities of the community.
Beyond high-level policy work, JN+ is committed to grassroots empowerment. Through expanded “Know Your Rights” initiatives, the organization centers the inherent dignity of the person. These programs equip people living with HIV to navigate the healthcare system with confidence and to hold service providers accountable through existing customer service and redress mechanisms.
HIV-related stigma must be addressed as a national concern rather than an issue isolated to the community. To support this shift, JN+ commissions intersectional policy and legislative research to address ongoing concerns, including the criminalization of HIV transmission. This evidence-based approach strengthens advocacy for laws and policies that heal rather than harm.
The Jamaica Anti-Discrimination System
The Jamaica Anti-Discrimination System (JADS) serves as the primary national mechanism for collecting and referring cases of HIV-related discrimination and gender-based violence for redress. JN+ actively engages both public and private sector actors to raise awareness of the system and to ensure that individuals know where to seek justice when their rights are violated.
In 2024 alone, JADS received 88 complaint reports, the majority involving harassment and verbal abuse, highlighting the psychological toll of stigma. JN+ acts as a bridge to justice by referring cases to partners such as Jamaicans for Justice for redress options that range from apologies and monetary compensation to police action. By documenting breaches of confidentiality and employment discrimination, the organization builds the evidence required to demand a safer Jamaica.
Multi-Sectoral Partnerships
Creating an enabling environment requires cooperation across sectors. JN+ strengthens multi-sectoral partnerships to plan, implement, and monitor programs within an integrated framework. Through collaboration with national health programs and international partners such as UNAIDS, human rights advocacy remains technically sound and nationally relevant.
These partnerships also support community sensitization initiatives that address systemic drivers of rights violations. Whether through faith-based engagement or corporate outreach, JN+ continues to position itself as a permanent pillar of human rights for people living with HIV in Jamaica.