Poverty Reduction
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Poverty in Trinidad and
Tobago.
Photo: UNDP T&T
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It is estimated that 1.3 billion people globally, live on less
that 1 US dollar a day. Developing countries are therefore
working to create their own national plan to promote poverty
eradication strategies based on local needs and priorities
(UNDP, 1999).
UNDP’s poverty programme in Trinidad and Tobago has focused on informing
policy development and programming delivered through a mixture of policy
advice, advocacy and downstream initiatives.
UNDP
will
continue to
take a key leadership role in the implementation of the joint UN
programmes on poverty alleviation (MDG1) and social statistics to reduce
poverty levels. In addition, it will contribute to the development of a national poverty reduction strategy and a national strategy for development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Important contributions were made to enhance national awareness of the importance of social economic statistics for facts based decision making. With the objective to improve health services, UNDP’s largest government funded project (15 million+ US$), started in 2004 to deploy over 120 UNV medical doctors to deliver primary and secondary health services throughout the country.
In the future,
UNDP will take a key leadership role in the implementation of the joint UN programmes on poverty alleviation (MDG1) and social statistics to reduce poverty levels,
with particular emphasis on the 2012 Atlas of Human Development for Trinidad
and Tobago. In addition, it will contribute to the development of a national poverty reduction strategy and a national strategy for development of SMEs. UNDP will continue to work to involve the government and strengthen the private sector’s role on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to address issues of poverty and the environment and, by extension, to foster the creation of inclusive markets for the poor as market participants, niche entrepreneurs and important contributors to the supply chain.
UNDP’s poverty portfolio in Trinidad and Tobago is concentrated in the
following areas
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UNDP Project Title:
National Socio-Economic Database |
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UNDP Project number:
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Focus Area:
Poverty Eradication |
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00049033 |
Service Line:
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Dates:
2006-2010 |
Status:
Ongoing |
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Location:
Trinidad and Tobago |
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Implementing Partner:
Ministry of Planning and Development |
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Financial Information |
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Source of Funds: |
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Government |
330,000 |
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UNDP |
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Third-Party |
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Budget: |
$330,000 |
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Expenditure to date: |
12,582 |
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Brief Description:
The need for a National Socio-Economic Database is being
addressed with this project. Such a facility will improve the
country's capacity to manage and access reliable gender
disaggregated data to facilitate evidence based planning and
inform the allocation of budgetary resources.
This project has been able to
achieve the establishment of a national socio-economic database,
cTTInfo, based upon a globally accepted DevInfo; and 16 trainers
of different Ministries have also been trained to deliver
training programmes on DevInfo to achieve continual improvement
of the local system. |
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Project Document Link |
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Contact: Isele Robinson-Cooper |
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UNDP Project Title:
Support to the Ministry of Health - UNV
Doctors |
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UNDP Project number:
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Focus Area:
Poverty Eradication |
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00015001 |
Service Line:
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Dates:
2003-2011 |
Status:
Ongoing |
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Location:
Trinidad and Tobago |
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Implementing Partner:
Ministry of Health |
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Financial Information |
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Source of Funds: |
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Government |
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UNDP |
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Third-Party |
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Budget: |
$12,313,236.00 |
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Expenditure to date: |
$11,945,985.00 |
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Brief Description:
UNDP provided approximately one hundred and twenty (120) UN Volunteer doctors to
fill an urgent gap in the health care system in Trinidad and
Tobago. This project has resulted in increased healthcare
delivery in all national hospitals to ensure reduced surgical
waiting time, particularly in ophthalmology. While this project
was scheduled to end in 2006, it has been extended to the year
2009.
There is
gradual implementation of an exit strategy and the no. of
doctors are reduced to twenty.
An evaluation of the project showed that basic health care
is being delivered consistently, especially in the rural areas. |
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Project Document Link |
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Contact: Isele Robinson-Cooper |
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UNDP Project Title: Micro Credit |
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UNDP Project number: |
Focus Area:
Poverty |
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00014978 |
Service Line:
1.3: Local Poverty Initiatives, including microfinance |
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Dates:
2000 - |
Status:
Ongoing |
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Location:
Trinidad and Tobago |
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Implementing Partner:
Ministry of Social Development |
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Financial Information |
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Source of Funds: |
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Government |
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UNDP |
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Third-Party |
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Budget: |
$161,555.53 |
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Expenditure to date: |
$342,000.00 |
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Brief Description:
This project has established eight community-led Micro Credit
Facilities in six of the fourteen regional districts in Trinidad
and Tobago. The project aims to improve the living standards of
economically vulnerable groups through community empowerment and
entrepreneurial development. It provides on-lending funds and
business development support services to facilitate direct
community involvement in entrepreneurial development and the
promotion of sustainable livelihood opportunities at the
community level as a strategy to reduce poverty. Micro Credit
loan facilities are currently in operation successfully in the following
areas: Roxborough, Tobago; La Seiva , Maracas/St Joseph;
Gonzales, Belmont; Mayaro ; Four Roads/Tamana; Cunjal Road;
and Ste. Madeleine. This project was initiated in 2000 and has
been extended annually.
An audit of
all created micro credit operations was completed. |
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Project Document Link |
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Contact: Isele Robinson-Cooper |
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UNDP Project Title:
United Nations Development Programme/ Small Grants Programme (UNDP/SGP)
in Trinidad and Tobago |
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UNDP Project number: |
Focus Area:
Poverty |
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Service Line:
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Dates:1995-2011 |
Status:
Ongoing |
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Location:
Trinidad and Tobago |
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Implementing Partner:
United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) |
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Financial Information |
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Source of Funds Operational Phase 5 (OP5) 2011 - 2015: |
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GEF Core Funds |
US $250,000.00 |
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STAR Resources |
US $850,000.00 |
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Budget: |
OP 5 (2011 - 2015)
US $1,100,000.00 |
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Expenditure to date for Pilot and OP 1,2,3, 4 (1995 - 2010): |
US $1,396,174.00 |
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Brief Description:
UNDP is committed to supporting sustainable development in
Trinidad and Tobago. Recognizing that education and capacity-building
are critical elements to sustainable development through
poverty reduction, UNDP seeks to expand its support to civil
society through the expansion of its existing Global Environment
Facility/Small Grants Programme (GEF/SGP) to a UNDP Small Grants
Programme (UNDP/SGP).
This will facilitate a broadening of the
vision of the present SGP to include other interest groups and
in areas relevant to poverty reduction, but outside of the
traditional GEF Focal Areas. Specifically, the expanded SGP
will maintain its focus on environmental concerns but will also
embrace other issues that relate to the promotion of healthy
family lifestyles. Issues which impact on the basic societal
unit – the family, would be aligned to
UNDP’s practice areas of Poverty and Social Equity,
HIV/AIDS, Environment and Energy, and Democratic Governance.
An exit strategy was prepared through the National Steering
Committee in order to upscale and replicate an expanded SGP
programme nationally. |
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Project Document Link |
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Contact: Stacey Syne |
Contact:
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Mrs. Isele Robinson-Cooper |
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Programme Specialist |
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Email:
isele.robinson.cooper@undp.org |
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