Mickel Jackson | Holding power to account: Vital work of human rights organisations in Jamaica

The past week has sparked intense public discourse about the role of civil society – particularly Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) – and whether the sector engages in “fair play” in its criticisms. Having reviewed various clips and commentary, a persistent misunderstanding remains about the purpose of human rights organisations or what that purpose ought to be.

Many ask: Where is civil society when gunmen kill citizens? Where is civil society when the police are under attack? These are fair questions. Yet it is essential to clarify the fundamental mandate of advocacy groups: we serve as agitators for change and agents of accountability.

JFJ, for instance, emerged from the social upheaval of the 1990s. Some of its early members protested during the 1999 gas riots and recognised the need for a dedicated organisation to hold the state accountable. We acknowledge Jamaica’s persistently high crime rates but precisely because the State wields extraordinary power, it must operate to the highest standards to protect citizens. Human rights organisations, therefore, prioritise state accountability over citizen-to-citizen violence. This focus is especially vital when many citizens remain disengaged from governance.

We bridge the gap between government policies and citizens’ lived realities, preventing power from becoming unaccountable or abusive. In Jamaica, where historical inequality intersects with poverty, violence, and systemic discrimination, these organisations amplify marginalised voices. We document abuses, provide legal aid, and public education. Consider the mother who, after losing her son in a police-involved shooting, found JFJ’s support in navigating the judicial process – gaining answers, dignity, and a voice in a system that too often leaves families silenced. That same mother may never see a courtroom due to insufficient evidence for prosecution. If she does speak for her son, that opportunity often arrives 10 or 15 years later due to systemic delays. These are the human stakes of our work.

BEDROCK

Civil society – of which there are some 4,000, encompassing human rights groups, community nonprofits, unions, faith-based and advocacy networks – forms the bedrock of participatory democracy. Vitriol is often not directed at service-provider CSOs handling “soft” but necessary issues but rather at those that more publicly hold the State to account.

The approach to reform for many CSOs is rooted in evidence-based advocacy and policy dialogue. Many CSOs have written to Cabinet ministers and key policymakers, often without even the courtesy of a response. When quiet negotiations stall or are ignored, strategic public action becomes necessary.

We embrace disruptive yet peaceful advocacy without apology as it frequently ignites national dialogue and drives change. Peaceful protests, lawful demonstrations, and marches remain core to our tool kit. The April 2025 “End Police Violence Protest” created necessary tension not to sow discord or discourage our security force but to compel engagement on stalled promises such as the then delayed procurement of body-worn cameras (BWCs). In his 2022 and 2023 sectoral presentations, the national security minister provided repeated information without update (400 BWCs currently deployed, another 1,000 to be procured/deployed), and the same minister said body cameras are “… of very little value” in certain contexts. By spotlighting such inconsistencies, civil society highlights issues rather than accepting the status quo.

This varied, evidence and ethics-grounded advocacy approach mirrors global best practices – from South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle to contemporary campaigns against impunity in the United States. In Jamaica, civil society has secured landmark gains: contributing towards the establishment of INDECOM in 2010, born from years of advocacy against extrajudicial killings and lack of accountability; our sustained, over-a-decade-long call to end the “uncontrollable” label and institutionalisation of children who have committed no offence; among many other influences.

And the stridency must continue given the reality that INDECOM confirmed 311 security forces fatal shootings in 2025, marking the highest annual total in the post-INDECOM era, fuelling necessary concern, especially without the wearing or activation of body cameras and often conflicting accounts between police and citizens. We cannot shy away from that reality as it would be a betrayal for our mandate. Our advocacy for body-worn cameras is not an attack on the police. It is a call for tools that safeguard officers from false claims, preserve evidence for fair outcomes, and strengthen trust between communities and security forces.

REFORMS STAGNATE

Without civil society organisations, reforms stagnate. History demonstrates that progress demands sustained pressure from civil society and citizens to prevent complacency.

Yet this role often invites resistance. Echoing the profound insights of Dr Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, the greatest barrier to justice is often not overt opponents of change but moderates more devoted to “order” than justice who prefer negative peace (the absence of tension) to positive peace (the presence of justice); who say, “I agree with your goal but not your methods”; who paternalistically set timetables for others’ freedom; and who urge JFJ to wait for a “more convenient season” to address issues affecting society’s most vulnerable – those labelled and judged by their address or inability to “speak the King’s language.” Let us raise our social consciousness.

Civil society is not beyond criticism. In fact, it is welcome and necessary. If we demand better from the State, we must accept scrutiny. As thought-shapers, while not infallible, great care must be taken in speech, grounded in evidence including data from the State itself, Throne speeches, sectoral presentations, and proceedings to avoid ignorance and ensure balanced critique. There is much to critique of CSOs, and we must take it on our chins. But criticisms must be fair and never appear as attempts to delegitimise.

A media practitioner recently asked: Why doesn’t civil society question the opposition as vigorously as the Government? The simple answer: the opposition does not wield executive power. Greater scrutiny falls on the executive and state agents who control resources, power, and authority. That said, the parliamentary opposition should be critiqued when necessary. At the same time, civil society cannot speak just to give the appearance of balance as it risks potentially straying from its mandate simply to appear even-handed. To colleagues: vigilance is essential across the spectrum.

Amid discourse, questions about funding have arisen. Civil society groups registered with the Department of Cooperatives and Friendly Societies adhere to rigorous transparency. For example, JFJ completes annual reports and audited financials by March each year, presented to our membership. Sources - primarily grants from international development agencies – are detailed, ensuring mission alignment without undue influence. Such practices not only comply with legal requirements but exceed them.

Even in a shrinking funding landscape, civil society persists because the work matters – ot because it is popular. The indispensable role lies in advocacy, oversight, and reform. Right now, the pulse of democracy demands a strong, vigilant civil society more than ever. Parliamentarians, who wield significant power in commanding response from supporters while benefiting from the protection of the State by way of close-protection officers and parliamentary shield, operate on advantageous ground. Civil society wields no such power nor possesses such protection. Therefore, while we welcome critique, we urge parliamentarians to ground critiques in fact and evidence not personal attacks or caricature. Jamaica’s democracy deserves no less.

Mickel Jackson is the executive director of Jamaicans for Justice. Send feedback to communications@jamaicansforjustice.org and columns@gleanerjm.com.