LAUNCH OF JAMAICA’S NATIONAL POPULATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT POLICY (NPSDP) AND THE UNFPA’S 2025 STATE OF THE WORLD POPULATION (SWOP) REPORT
FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2025, Kingston, Jamaica

Programme

Downloads

National Population and Sustainable Development Policy and Programme  of Action Here

UNFPA 2025 State of the World Population (SWOP) report here

Background

While the world’s population has increased to 8.1 billion people (Population Reference Bureau, 2024), Jamaica’s population estimates have indicated a decline in our population to approximately 2.7 million people. Jamaica stands at a critical demographic juncture, facing declining fertility rates, increased out-migration (emigration) of the working age population, as well as professional and skilled workers, and an aging population. In response, the Government of Jamaica, with support from UNFPA and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), has revised the National Population Policy—now the National Population and Sustainable Development Policy. This revised policy, alongside finalised Monitoring & Evaluation Framework and Implementation Plans (2024), is poised for official launch.
Simultaneously, the UNFPA’s 2025 State of the World Population (SWOP) Report, which focuses on fertility intentions and rights-based population policies, aligns with Jamaica’s demographic realities and policy needs.

Jamaica’s 1995 National Population Policy was revised in 2022 as the National Population and Sustainable Development Policy (NPSDP), in response to changes in the demographic situation of the country (population size, structure, composition and distribution).

The 2025 UNFPA’s State of the World Population (SWOP) Report is in tandem with the NPSDP and focuses on the fertility intentions of women of reproductive age (15-49 years)

At this time Jamaica is experiencing
• Decrease in population growth and the potential risk of a declining future population
• Decrease in the child population (0-14 years) and increases in the working age (15-64 years) and elderly dependent population (65+ years)
• Increase in life expectancy at birth to almost 75 years
• Decline in fertility among all reproductive age groups (15-49 years)
• High levels of international migration among professionals and skilled workers

The overall goal of the NPSDP is to ensure that population processes are optimised to achieve a balanced population size, structure and distribution in urban and rural areas to improve the well-being of the Jamaican population in all dimensions of a sustainable, equitable and just society. There are 12 policy goals which support the overall goal and are guided by the relevant objectives. The Programme of Action is linked to the goals and objectives of the NPSDP and proposes various action fields and responsible organizations for implementation of the policy.

The governance framework for the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the National Population and Sustainable Development Policy will depend on a sound institutional framework and active political, administrative and technical support. This is essential for the goals, objectives and strategies outlined in the Policy to be effectively translated into actual programmes at the national and sub-national levels of the society. Policy oversight is provided by the Population Thematic Working Group (Pop-TWG), which was established in 2009, to serve as the main mechanism for coordinating, and monitoring the implementation of the National Population component under Vision 2030 Jamaica and its successive Medium-Term Socio-Economic Policy Frameworks (MTFs), and will, by extension, fulfil the monitoring and evaluation role for the National Population and Sustainable Development Policy and Programme of Action.

Key Thematic Areas for Discussion
 Goal 1: By 2030, Jamaica’s population size, growth, age-sex structure and spatial distribution are aligned to support sustainable development in all dimensions (social, economic and environmental).

Population Dynamics (declines in mortality and fertility levels and high emigration rates) in the Context of Sustainable Development (total fertility rate of 1.9 is below replacement level, negative population growth rate, losing out on the demographic dividend, utilizing the relatively larger share of human resources that is still within the 15-64 years working age group, gradual increase in elderly dependent population and age dependency ratio, importance of demographic data such as JSLC in development planning, role of demographic data in urban and rural development)

 Goal 5: By 2030, international migration is managed and mobilized to support Jamaica’s national development.

International Migration (loss of working age population and professional and skilled workers, involuntary returned migrants, harnessing the benefits of international migration through global skills partnership for sustainable development)

 Goal 8: By 2030, provisions are in place to enable the older populations (60 years and over) to lead fulfilling, functional and productive lives.

Ageing and Opportunities for Older Persons (empowering senior citizens to contribute to national social and economic development while maintain an adequate standard of living)

 Goal 9: By 2030, all children (0-17 years), adolescent (10-19 years) and youth (15-24 years) shall be empowered to fulfil their fullest potential.

Youth and Adolescent Issues (sexual and reproductive health, adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, right to education and social support for adolescent mothers in school, integration of persons with disabilities in the normal school system at all levels, employment opportunities for graduates of tertiary and skills training programmes).