Poverty Reduction Action Plan

1.1 The BNTF Programme ..................................................................................................... 6

1.2 The BNTF PRAP ............................................................................................................. 6

1.3 Approach and Methodology ............................................................................................. 6

1.4 Structure of The Prap ....................................................................................................... 8 2 BELIZE: NATIONAL CONTEXT ......................................................................................... 9

2.1 Country Background ........................................................................................................ 9

2.2 Economic Context ............................................................................................................ 9

2.3 Social, Cultural and Political Context ............................................................................ 12 3 POVERTY AND SOCIAL VULNERABILITY IN BELIZE .............................................. 19

3.1 The Incidence of Poverty ............................................................................................... 19

3.2 Factors of Social Vulnerability In Belize ....................................................................... 23 4 NATIONAL POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY ......................................................... 28

4.1 National Frameworks ..................................................................................................... 28

4.2 Government Initiatives and Interventions ...................................................................... 29

4.3 Other Development Partners .......................................................................................... 30 5 ROLE AND CONTRIBUTION OF BNTF TO POVERTY REDUCTION ......................... 32

5.1 CDB Country Strategy ................................................................................................... 32

5.2 Role and Experience of BNTF ....................................................................................... 32

5.3 BNTF 6 Programme ....................................................................................................... 32

5.4 BNTF 7 Programme ....................................................................................................... 34 6 PRIORITIZED ACTIONS UNDER BNTF 7 ....................................................................... 41

6.1 National Development Goals ......................................................................................... 41

6.2 Proposed Areas of Intervention ...................................................................................... 41

6.3 Targeting of Resources................................................................................................... 44 7 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ................................................................................................ 48

7.1 Institutional Arrangements ............................................................................................. 48

7.2 Risks ............................................................................................................................... 49 8 RESULTS FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................... 51 Annex 1 - Schematic of Approach to Developing the PRAP ................................................... 55 Annex 2 - Classification Of Major Cities, Towns And Villages In Belize, 2010..................... 56 2 List of Figures Figure 1: Tourism Growth 2012 ................................................................................................... 10 Figure 2: Belize Real GDP Growth 2001-2012 ............................................................................ 11 Figure 3: Household Poverty in Belize ......................................................................................... 19 Figure 4: Poverty in Belize by District ......................................................................................... 20 Figure 5: Poverty Map By Income Per Capita .............................................................................. 21 Figure 6: Unemployment Rate By District, April 2012 ................................................................ 24 Figure 7: Leading Cause of Death in Belize ................................................................................. 25 Figure 8: Allocation of BNTF 6 Resources .................................................................................. 33 List of Tables Table 1: Belize Country Population .............................................................................................. 12 Table 2: Povery Rates By Occupation 2002 & 2009 .................................................................... 21 Table 3: Poverty Gap Index By District ....................................................................................... 22 Table 4: Actors And Actions In Education Sector........................................................................ 36 Table 5: ESS Policy Objectives And Outputs............................................................................... 37 Table 6: Actors And Actions In The Water & Sanitation Sector ................................................. 39 Table 7: BNTF And National Development Goals....................................................................... 41 Table 8: Allocation Of Resource Matrix ...................................................................................... 46 Table 9: Indicative Results Framework For BNTF 7 ................................................................... 52 3 ACRONYMNS ACP African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome BMC Bank Member Countries BNTF Basic Needs Trust Fund BOOST Building Opportunities for our Social Transformation BWS Belize Water Services CAPS Community Action for Public Safety CARICOM Caribbean Community CCA Country Common Assessment CDB Caribbean Development Bank CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women CPA Country Poverty Assessment ESS Education Sector Strategy FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FAS Financing Allocation System FBP Foreign Born Population FDI Foreign Direct Investment GBV Gender Based Violence GDP Gross Domestic Product HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HRD Human Resource Development IDB Inter-American Development Bank IICA Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture ITVET Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training MDG Millennium Development Goals MIC Middle Income Country MLLGRD Ministry of Labour Local Government and Rural Development MOE Ministry of Education MTE Mid–Term Evaluation NER Net Enrolment Rate NGO Non-Governmental Organizations NHI National Health Insurance NPESAP National Poverty Elimination Strategy and Action Plan NWC National Women‟s Commission OAS Organization of American States ODA Official Development Assistance PAHO Pan American Health Organization PANCAP Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS PMC Project Monitoring Committee PRAP Poverty Reduction Action Plan PSE Primary School Exam QSI Quality School Initiative RTI Road Traffic Injuries SICA Central American Integration System 4 SIF Social Investment Fund TB Tuberculosis TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training UNAIDS United Nations AIDS Program UNDAF United Nations Development Assistance Framework UNDP United Nations Development Program UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNICEF United Nations Children‟s Fund UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime WHO World Health Organization 5 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 THE BNTF PROGRAMME The Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) Programme is funded through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and contributes to the reduction of poverty in targeted communities through the provision of infrastructure and livelihood enhancement services in participating countries. Since its inception approximately 33 years ago, BNTF has played a vital role in assisting participating governments in poverty reduction efforts through the provision of basic infrastructure and social services in poor and vulnerable communities. BNTF has undergone six replenishments, a number of design modifications and increasing resource contributions. Recent evaluations of BNTF 5 and the Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) of BNTF 6 highlighted the relevance of the Programme and its achievements. Beneficiaries have acknowledged BNTF as an important vehicle that filled gaps in coverage of services. In Belize, the program is implemented through the Belize Social Investment Fund. All participating Bank Member Countries (BMC) are required to develop a Poverty Reduction Action Plan (PRAP) as a condition for the allocation of BNTF 7 funding.

1.2 THE BNTF PRAP The PRAP is used to influence the country‟s priorities for poverty reduction with BNTF resources. It helps the Government of Belize to determine and commit to action plans that are well targeted. The PRAP is intended to guide the targeting of resources in order to meet the needs, priorities, and situation of the poorest and most vulnerable in the country. It sets a road map to improve the distribution of resources to effectively contribute to the achievement of national development goals and outlines how it will be accomplished. Like other developing countries, Belize faces challenges in achieving equity in the national development scheme, where poor and vulnerable groups are often neglected. There are various determinants that demand effective inter-sectoral collaboration and enhanced partnerships with local, national and international partners. Belize has made progress in many areas, however, effective plans and policies needs to be implemented in order to ensure complementarity in the investment of resources, address specific challenges and well as streamline data collection and monitoring of development results. The PRAP is also expected to develop a framework to engage important stakeholders from Government to communities and other development partners.

1.3 APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY The PRAP was developed from a strategic approach considering poverty targeting, strategic alignment with national development plans and goals and community demand under the overarching goal of achieving sustainable development results. Strategically nesting and aligning the PRAP with other broader frameworks provides an opportunity to better coordinate poverty reduction interventions across line Ministries and other development partners. The model in Annex 1 graphically represents the conceptual approach to the development of the PRAP. 6

1.3.1 Targeting While economic growth is generally correlated with reductions in poverty, this is not always the case. The use of targeting mechanism therefore remains an important feature in the fight against poverty to ensure that interventions and resources effectively address the poorest and most vulnerable and their needs. In targeting the poor in the PRAP, socio-economic characteristics of Belize poor was firstly analysed. Consideration was then given to geographic distribution of poverty and social sectors most likely to benefit the poor. In characterizing the poor in Belize, a thorough poverty analysis was done by examining a broad range of socio-economic and institutional indicators. This included assessing cross-sectoral factors including gender, citizen security, environment and governance. In doing this a profile of the poor in Belize was developed including those social issues that contribute to a vicious cycle of vulnerability. An examination of the geographic location of Belize‟s poor in both urban and rural sectors based on the most recent CPA and other related data was then carried out. In order to maintain focus on the three key social sectors of the BNTF, Education & Human Resource Development, Water and Sanitation sectors were assessed based on how these relate to poverty realities.

1.3.2 Strategic Alignment with National Frameworks Another critical aspect to the development of the PRAP is the consideration given to existing national development frameworks. The nesting and aligning of the PRAP enhances the complementarity between BNTF interventions and other activities within national strategies frameworks and also allows for better monitoring and evaluation of interventions for development results. The PRAP is aligned with the National Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Plan, the CDB‟s Country Strategy for Belize and Belize‟s Horizon 2030 Plan. It is also aligned with the Education Sector Strategy developed by the Ministry of Education. Strategically nesting and aligning the PRAP with other broader frameworks provides an opportunity to better coordinate poverty reduction interventions with other development partners such as the UN System and other donor agencies.

1.3.3 Community Demand Community demand for interventions was also assessed and this came mainly from a register of project requests from local communities maintained by BSIF/BNTF under the BNTF 6 programme and during BNTF 7 appraisal. These requests came from primary school principals and village councils. The community leaders filled a basic request form that indicated the type and scope of interventions that hoped for within their communities. These requests were analyzed and selected on the basis that they: a. were requested within the last 5 years to date in order to keep the list relevant and manageable and; b. fell within the eligibility criteria for the two target sectors of BNTF7. It should be noted that tertiary level institutions and household level sanitation facilities are not eligible under BNTF7 and so while there were requests for these types of interventions they were not considered given that the target sectors were already established form the outset. Tertiary level institutions, from a sectoral targeting point of view, are not necessarily critical in meeting 7 basic needs and addressing the immediate needs of the poor. This is not to say that it is unimportant however, there are likely to be greater returns to the poor from a focus on primary and secondary education. Projects having to do with access and drainage were also not considered as the Ministry of Works has indicated that these types of works come directly under their responsibility.

1.3.4 Information Gathering The first step of the data gathering process was to conduct an extensive literature review of existing and available information on poverty and other relevant reference materials. This included a review of national development strategies including the most recent country poverty assessment, “Horizon 2030,” the United Nations Common Country Assessment (2011), CDB‟s Country Strategy, Mid-term review of BNTF 6, Labour Force Surveys, relevant sectoral policies, human rights reports, national economic reports, and other studies covering a broad range of social, political and environmental issues. The literature review achieved several objectives. The first was to identify important national and sectoral frameworks which have a bearing on the PRAP. Second was to establish critical social indicators, their status and how they affect the social vulnerability of the poorest groups. Third was to identify potential actions that can be taken by the program based on on-going interventions. Interviews with key informants were done within the BNTFO and relevant line Ministries at the national and district level. These interviews provided a certain level of qualitative understanding of the major issues and underlying factors contributing to poverty in general outside of official quantitative statistics. The District Education Managers were specifically able to validate the list of proposed list of subprojects within the education sector. Topics covered during the interviews included their experiences with their own interventions and potential opportunities for BNTF 7 interventions.

1.4 STRUCTURE OF THE PRAP The structure of the document is as follows: The next section provides a brief description of the major characteristics of the country. Section 3 defines and discusses the poverty situation of Belize. Section 4 discusses national strategies and approaches to address poverty and aligns the BNTF programme to national frameworks by outline its role and contribution. This is then followed Section 5 describing the prioritized actions under BNTF 7. The paper concludes with an implementation plan and results framework in Section 6. 8 2 BELIZE: NATIONAL CONTEXT

2.1 COUNTRY BACKGROUND Belize is a small, independent country located on the Caribbean coast of Central America and shares borders with Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, with the Caribbean Sea to the east. It has a rich diversity of peoples, languages and cultures and has the distinction of being the only country in Central America whose official language is English. The total land area is almost 22,700 km2 with the population estimated to be around 333,200 inhabitants. Belize is also home to the second largest barrier reef in the world with more than 100 small cayes located offshore. There are six administrative districts in Belize namely 1) Corozal, 2) Orange Walk, 3) Belize, 4) Cayo, 5) Stann Creek and 6) Toledo. The Cayo District is located in the west of Belize, home to the capital, Belmopan. Given the vulnerability of Belize City to hurricanes and related damages, in 1970, the government moved the capital from Belize City located on the coast and at sea level, to Belmopan located considerably further inland. Orange Walk and Corozal districts are located to the north of Belize, which borders with Mexico. Toledo District is to the south sharing a border with Guatemala and home to the Maya population. Finally, Belize District is located in the center of the country holding the majority of the population. Despite a long-standing dispute with Guatemala over that country‟s claim to some of Belize‟s territory and occasional border incidents, Belize is a sovereign state and the governance structure is based on a parliamentary democracy, based on the British Westminster system. Belize achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1981 and is currently a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Central American Integration System (SICA), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP) and the Organization of American States (OAS). The country therefore has the potential to serve as a bridge between Central America and the Caribbean, and to share its experiences in both sub-regions. Belize has recently reached 32 years since Independence, which is timely for development assessments. The Government of Belize published a National Development Framework called “Horizon 2030” where it reviews past goals and establishes new ones for the future. These goals prioritize sustainable natural resource management, governance and education to be the focus for Belize as well as providing a sound economic future.

2.2 ECONOMIC CONTEXT Belize is a small open economy that is supported primarily by natural resources with major sectors being agriculture (citrus, sugar, bananas, fisheries), manufacturing (including petroleum) and tourism (tertiary sector). The mining sector enjoyed a robust but short growth over the period 2006 to 2011 having been discovered in commercial quantities in 2005 and saw its first year of shipment in 2006. Since the start of petroleum extraction in 2006 the value of exports rose from $77.0 million to $203.2 9 million in 20081. Oil production however has levelled off and is now on a declining trend. Over the last 30 years the economy has been slowly shifting over from “traditional” commodity exports to service exports. Indeed oil and tourism went from 1% of total exports at the time of Independence to approximately 60% thirty years later in 20102. Tourism remains one of the main engines of growth in the Belizean economy and the principal source of foreign exchange. The sector generated US$281 million in visitor expenditures in 2008, slightly outstripping total domestic merchandise exports and corresponding to 21% of gross domestic product (GDP). It is estimated that more than 25% of the employed labour force is related to or driven by this particular sector. Cruise tourism has become an important feature of the overall industry. While the global economic crises certainly affected the industry around 2009, it has started to show some signs of recovery. In 2012, a record-breaking number of overnight visitors visited Belize as shown in the Figure 1 below. Recent figures released by the Belize Tourism Board show that for the first three quarters of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012, there was an increase of 8.7% pushing Belize closer to making the 300,000 overnight visitors mark. FIGURE 1: TOURISM GROWTH 2012 Visitors Overnight Cruise 900,000 800,000 700,000 600,000 500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 - 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 SOURCE: CENTRAL BANK OF BELIZE 2013 Belize‟s real GDP growth however has been on a declining trend since 2003 which suffered even further when the economy contracted in 2009. Since then it has taken a somewhat upward trend showing signs of recovery and was at 5.3% in 2012. This however is still significantly lower than the position in 2009 when it was a 9.3%3. A historical review since Independence shows that 1 Belize Medium Term Development Strategy 2010 – 2013. Ministry of Economic Development, Commerce and Industry and Consumer Protection. Government of Belize. 2 Thomas, B. and Thomas, V. 2012. The Economic History of Belize: From the 17 th Century to Post-Independence. Cubola Productions. 3 Major Economic Indicators Table 2001 – 2012. Central Bank of Belize. 10 Belize‟s economic growth has been driven mainly by fiscal stimulus which shows up in regular boom and bust cycles linked with booms in public spending, credit to the private sector, and deterioration in the current account 4. The latest cycle between 1999 and 2003 saw increased public spending financed largely by external commercial borrowing. These fluctuations are a concern for Belize‟s economy as the government has to contend with debt repayments in slump years. In 2005, the debt to GDP ratio was at 93% of GDP and clearly unsustainable. The external debt was restructured in 2007 but the debt burden remained a constraint on the government‟s budget forcing it to undertake another debt restructuring exercise which concluded in March of 2013. While the immediate effect of this is related to the need for debt repayment it also lowers the amount of new funding the country can project for development programming. Debt as a percentage of GDP is currently at 78.6%5. FIGURE 2: BELIZE REAL GDP GROWTH 2001-2012 Real GDP Growth (%) 10.0 9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 SOURCE: CENTRAL BANK OF BELIZE 2013 The country faces numerous challenges to economic stability and growth. High indebtedness, limited progress on public spending controls, and inadequate infrastructure pose persistent problems. Even though the economy is more diversified now, there is still the problem of volatility that it has to contend with. Should petroleum remain an important sector of the economy, world commodity prices for oil are still a consideration and tourism is just as susceptible to weather conditions in Belize as agricultural and fisheries exports. Belize has benefited in the past and continues to benefit from Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI); however, in accord with its designation as a lower middle-income country (MIC), international grant funding is becoming more difficult to obtain. ODA received by Belize as a percentage of its Gross National Income was 1.9% in 2010. 4 Towards a Sustainable and Efficient State: The Development Agenda of Belize. Inter-American Development Bank. 2010. 5 IMF Staff Report, Article IV Consultation – Belize 2013. 11 According to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, in 2011 up to April 2012, Belize received a total US $308,417,630.50 for public sector investment programs. Other key technical assistance partners include the US government, the Organization of American States (OAS), Cuba, Venezuela, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP). The economic environment that Belize is currently faced with is not conducive to poverty alleviation. The CDB Country Strategy Paper states that “the overriding challenge for Belize, over the medium to long term, will be to accelerate national income growth and improve income distribution to significantly reduce poverty and improve social conditions. A stable macroeconomic environment will be a necessary foundation for growth.”6 Indeed, in 2013, the economy registered a growth rate of only 0.7%. The constant burden of debt and the slow economic growth only reduces the possibility of social spending and constrains much needed investment in human capital. The resources within the country of Belize cannot adequately resolve the social conditions and Belize will have to depend on the assistance of international donors to satisfy the key government objective of the reduction of poverty and inequality.

2.3 SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL CONTEXT

2.3.1 Demographics The demographic profile of Belize is that of a young and ethnically diverse population. According to the Population and Housing Census 2010 Country Report, the population of Belize is approximately 333,200 with a slightly higher number for urban to rural population. Males and females are split almost evenly. The average household size in Belize is 3.9 persons with the Toledo District having the largest households at 4.7 persons and the Belize District with the small households at 3.3 persons. Approximately 56% of the national population is 24 years and under with the median age being 22 years. Population growth has been varied throughout the country however the fastest growing districts were Cayo, which includes Belmopan, the capital; and the Belize District which contains Belize City, the country‟s largest city. The population in Belize has been increasing gradually by 2.65% over the period 2000 to 2010 due mainly to high fertility and immigration. Most of the growth in population size has occurred in rural areas. The total population for 2010 according to sex and location is outlined in Table 1 below: TABLE 1: BELIZE COUNTRY POPULATION Total Male Female Country Total 333,200 166,500 166,700 Urban 172,800 84,400 88,400 Rural 160,400 82,100 78,300 SOURCE: STATISTICAL INSTITUTE OF BELIZE 2010 6 Caribbean Development Bank, Country Strategy Paper 2011-2015 Belize. 12 The five largest ethnic groups in Belize are the Mestizo, Creole, Maya, Garifuna and Mennonite. According to the 2010 Census, the Mestizo population increased from 48.4% in 2000 to 50% and Creole decreased from 27% to 21%. The Maya and Garifuna (both considered indigenous peoples) make up 10% and 4.6% of the population respectively. About 6% of the population claim to be of mixed ethnic origin. The largest source of foreign born population (FBP) comes mainly from the neighbouring country of Guatemala, followed by El Salvador and Honduras. About 42% of the FBP are between 25 and 44 years old. Sixty percent had at primary education at most. As concluded in the Belize Country Poverty Assessment 2010, the population for Belize continues to increase gradually due more so to immigration. It is to be expected that with the growth of the Spanish- speaking Mestizo population approximately 57% of Belizeans speak Spanish at a conversational level. Christianity dominates religious practices in Belize; 40% of the population is Roman Catholic, which represents a decline from the last census in 2000. Other major Christian groups are Pentecostal (9%), Anglican (5%), Seventh Day Adventist (5%), Mennonites (4%) and Baptist (4%). There are smaller numbers of adherents to Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and other religions. About 9.4% do not adhere to any religion which has doubled from 10 years ago.

2.3.2 Gender Dimensions Belize developed its first National Gender Policy in 2002 even though a National Women‟s Commission (NWC) was established back in 1982. The NWC now monitors and reports on Belize‟s compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) as well as promotes the revised Gender Policy issued by the government in 2013. The Revised National Gender Policy released by the NWC in 2013 addresses five key areas namely, 1) Health, 2) Education, 3) Wealth and Employment Generation, 4) Gender-based Violence and 5) Power and Decision-making. Gender equality and equity have been longstanding issues in Belize and there have been several efforts made to address the related challenges. These issues generally range from health, education, unemployment, poverty and political representation. The incidence of poverty in general in Belize has little disparity amongst gender lines, however the hardships caused by poverty has been shown to affect women more disproportionately than males. This not only includes economic aspects of livelihoods, but also the psychosocial aspects of poverty such as stress, low self-esteem and depression. Gender disparity in primary education has been quickly narrowing with almost equal participation by girls to boys. The ratio of girls to boys in 2009 was at 100.1. This is a significant achievement however there is still a need to improve attendance as one in every 20 boys and one in every 20 girls are not attending school. In rural agricultural communities boys are more likely to drop out of school than girls while girls are more likely to complete their schooling. While there has been moderate success in improving gender disparity in primary education, there are indications that the disparity has widened at the secondary and tertiary levels of education with 13 males at a disadvantage 7 . It can be reasonably assumed that “male privilege” and gender expectations placed on males are likely contributors 8 . The Revised Gender Policy cites that despite the high secondary school drop-out rates, marginal investments have been made in “second chance” programmes that help young men and women to stay in school, go back to school or learn a marketable skill. Current “second chance” programmes are implemented primarily by non-government organizations. In recent years the government has also stepped up its investment in second chance programmes. These include: 1) Adult and Continuing Education, High School Equivalency Programmes in various districts including Toledo, Stann Creek, Cayo, Belize District and Corozal, 2) an Apprenticeship Programme and Skills Training, both in Belize City. In terms of health young women ages 15 to 24 continue to show approximately twice the HIV transmission rate as men of that same age group. This pattern is reversed for women in the older age groups (40 years and over) who have a much lower HIV rate than men of the older age groups. This pattern suggests the existence of intergenerational sex between older men and young women9. Morbidity and mortality patterns appeared among men and women show clear disparities. Adolescent and older men die mostly from risk-taking behaviours such as vehicular accidents, injuries (whether accidentally or purposefully inflicted) and HIV/AIDS. Women, on the other hand, suffer mostly from chronic illness such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension and heart disease. Unequal power relations between men and women, and expectations of their roles and responsibilities contribute to the increasing incidence of gender-based violence. These issues challenges, as both gender-based violence (GBV) and its intensity continue to increase. In 2003, 1,240 cases of domestic violence were registered; it is believed that there is a high degree of underreporting, so this likely represented only a fraction of the actual number of cases. Women aged 25-29 years accounted for the highest number of cases (269). In 2006, there were over 1,472 registered cases of GBV, of which 4 resulted in death. A link between the occurrence and severity of violence against women and the frequency and amount of drinking has been established by a more recent study10. The overall presence of women in national decision-making is dismal and very little progress has been achieved in this area. There is currently only one elected female in the National Assembly and two who have been appointed as full Ministers in the Cabinet drawn from the Senate. There are on-going initiatives by the National Women‟s Commission to provide training and encouragement to women to engage in the political arena at various levels. The 2007 CEDAW Concluding Comments recommended that the country take concrete measures to correct this situation, including temporary special measures, quotas and timetables. These have been reaffirmed by the recent report on the Situation Analysis on Gender and Politics in Belize supported by UNDP-Belize and the NWC. 7 Belize Scorecard and Outlook 2010. United Nations Development Programme. 2010. 8 A Situation Analysis of Gender and Politics in Belize. National Women‟s Commission. 2012 9 Belize National Gender Policy 2013. National Women‟s Commission. 10 GENACIS Study 2008. Country Specific Variables Belize. Gender, Alcohol, and Culture: An International Study. 14

2.3.3 Environment Belize like other developing countries in the region, on one hand, needs to continue to utilize its natural resources in its quest for sustainable development. On the other, approximately 45% of the population lives in the low-lying coastal zone, the region most vulnerable to climate change impacts. Planning for adaptation has therefore been prioritized among national authorities and steps are underway to understand the extent of the impact of climate change of Belize‟s sustainable economic and human development. Apart from potentially undermining national development efforts, there is growing concern that climate change can threaten or reverse the country‟s advances towards the MDG‟s and human development should measures not be taken to mainstream climate change into national decision making and development planning. The health of Belize‟s population and the development of the country is affected directly, by heat waves, droughts, floods, storms, and other extreme weather events, and indirectly, through effects on communicable diseases such as malaria, dengue, and diarrheal diseases; water availability; and agricultural production. The coastal areas of the country are at, or below, sea level, and Belize City is prone to flooding. Around 75% of the population in Belize is vulnerable to natural disasters, which particularly impact on the poor, with devastation exacerbated by land degradation. Over the period 2000-2007, Belize was affected by 5 major hurricanes. The last hurricanes to affect Belize were Dean and Felix in 2007, and the total impact of hurricane Dean on the economy was estimated at US$89.5 million. The most recent storm to affect the country was Hurricane Richard in October 2010; causing a great deal of structural damage and flooding to almost the entire country. Belize has taken great strides in protecting the environment. Currently approximately 36% of national territory is under protection which is high compared to its neighbours in the region. Belize‟s National Protected Areas System consists of 95 terrestrial and marine protected areas that include private, public, and community-based conservation initiatives. Nonetheless, even with a good record of environmental steward, Belize‟s natural resources still face threat of degradation both in the marine and terrestrial areas. The Government of Belize has continuously development legal and institutional measures to safeguard its natural assets. It has now committed itself to defining its institutional and legal landscape for climate change adaptation and mitigation, focusing on the roles of various actors, existing institutional capacities and governance issues in carrying out mitigation and adaptation activities. In essence the political and administrative systems are being adopted to handle emerging national issues of climate change mitigation and adaptation. A national climate change policy and adaptation strategy is currently in the process of being developed by the Ministry of Forests, Fisheries and Sustainable Development with the support of UNDP-Belize and a regional project funded by the European Union11. 11 These projects are the “Enabling Activities for the Preparation of Belize‟s Third National Communication to the UNFCCC Project” (UNDP/GEF) and “Enhancing Belize‟s resilience to adapt to the effects of climate change Project” (GCCA/EU) 15

2.3.4 Crime and Security High levels of violence and abuse, especially against women and children and high levels of violence and crime - including domestic violence and urban gang cultures - have been attributed to the lack of employment opportunities, the increased availability and abuse of alcohol, drugs and weapons, the weakness of state institutions and a breakdown in the family structure. The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF)12 notes that a high and rising crime and murder rate, international drug-trafficking, capacity gaps in states institutions that related to the rule of law and justice system, all combine to make the matter of crime in the country a major concern. In addition to gangs already operating in Belize, violence is mainly concentrated in the Belize District, which includes San Pedro and Caye Caulker with the majority of offences amounting to 36%. The murder rate in Belize is one of the highest in the world (41.7 per 100,000 in 2010) and the 2009 data show that the rate increased by 50% since 2001. The CPA 13 noted that about half the murders occurred in Belize City (30%) and principally in the South Side (40%). Motives for the murders included robbery, altercations/disputes and feuds, drug dealings and domestic disputes. Of particular interest is the high number of deaths due to homicide that occur in the young, productive population group. Males tend to be affected more by violence-related deaths. The UNDAF further notes that poverty is consistently identified as a key cause. Unemployment, marginalization, poor education, poor housing, living conditions and entrenched cultural norms regarding gender roles all play important symbiotic roles in generating and sustaining such impoverishment. The latest crime statistic from the Belize Police Department shows a slight decrease in crime for 2013 as compared to 2012, and an increase in arrests for the year. In the months of January to September of 2012, a total of 2,070 crimes were reports as compared to 1,845 that have been reported from January to September 2013. The numbers show that major crimes have decreased by an estimated 11%, and has fallen is all districts except Stann Creek and Toledo. Those districts experienced a rise in major crime. Murder rates are also down. Since January to September 2013 there have been 81 murders, 25 fewer than the same period in 2012. The Belize District still remains with the highest murder rate, with 51 cases reported in 2013. The Belize Police Department states that if the trend continues through October, November and December, 2013 will have reported less criminal activity than 2012. Nonetheless, Belize continues to be a transit point for narco-traffickers moving illicit drugs towards North America and this contributes significantly to citizen insecurity.

2.3.5 Governance Belize is a sovereign state and the governance structure is based on a parliamentary democracy, based on the British Westminster system. There are challenges in governance that serve as a major impediment to achieving development goals. Core challenges for Belize include weaknesses in rule of law institutions; barriers to transparency and accountability; obstacles to 12 United Nations Development Assistance Framework 2013 - 2016 13 Halcrow. Belize Country Poverty Assessment Report 2010 16 greater participation, particularly for women in national politics and deficiencies in establishing a human rights culture.”14 Strengthening governance in Belize has been a gradual process. The Senate was expanded to include members from Civil Society and the Private Sector in 2000. An Ombudsman Office was also established by the Ombudsman Act in 2000. The Ombudsman is empowered to investigate complaints made by any person or body of persons who claim to have sustained injustice, injury, or abuse (including any act of discourtesy, or refusal to act, or any act motivated by discrimination based on religion, language, race, colour or creed), or who claims that an authority has been guilty of corruption or other wrongdoing. Authorities who are subject to investigation are:  Ministry, Department or agency of Government;  The Belize Police Force  A City Council or a Town Board  Other statutory body or authority, including any company in which the Government or an agency of government owns not less than 51%. There is an Integrity Commission established by the Prevention of Corruption in Public Life Act of 2007. Section 6 of the Act requires everyone in public life to make sworn declarations of their assets, income, and liabilities, including those of their spouse and children living with them. Even though the Commission has no powers to impose a prison sentence, the Act gives it the power to issue a severe reprimand or a fine not exceeding $10,000; to seize or forfeit to the State any property acquired in abuse or corruption of office; or recommend the person‟s removal from public office. “Persons in public life” include members of the House of Representatives and Senate as well as the Mayor and Councillors of all cities and Town Boards. Compliance with the requirements of the Integrity Commission has not been consistent. Local governance has been expanded to rural communities through a decentralization exercise where villages are now officially recognized and are mandated by law to establish Village Councils to govern their communities. The Village Council Act was passed in 1999 and gave villages wide ranging powers for the “good governance and improvement” of villages. The Village Councils are organized at the district level and at the national level formally. The experience with village councils has been mixed where some councils perform well while others fail to meet their obligations. The councils are challenged mainly by the their limited access to financial resources as they do not necessarily received budgetary support from Central Government except in the collection of basic fees at the local level. All urban areas are managed by Town or City Councils and are much better resourced compared to village councils. The government recently published a long-term Development Framework for Belize entitled “Horizon 2030” to identify long-term goals, targets, and indicators to guide in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of government‟s long and medium-term development. Horizon 2030 particularly pinpoints the need to transform political culture in Belize. The first pillar in this document focuses on “democratic governance for effective public 14 UNDAF Belize 2013-2016 17 administration and sustainable development.” The high level goal includes a governance framework that ensures community participation and accountability of political leaders. The strategies to achieve these goals are the following:  Rebuild accountability in politics  Eradicate corruption  Transform political culture  Complete political reform process  Strengthen accountability of village administration  Strengthen law enforcement and access to justice 18 3 POVERTY AND SOCIAL VULNERABILITY IN BELIZE

3.1 THE INCIDENCE OF POVERTY The definition of poverty has been expanding from formerly narrow economistic perspective to all-encompassing ones that are more multi-faceted and includes powerlessness, vulnerability and lack of opportunities. Poverty is now seen as essentially related to one, a notion of absence, lack or deprivation of factors which are necessary for an acceptable quality of life and two, income poverty is seen as a sub-component of wellbeing, which also includes the notions of vulnerability and inequality. Vulnerability is defined as groups, households, individuals who may not be income poor but who could be if they were affected by particular shocks, e.g. natural disasters, sudden ill health and inequality is defined as the lack of wellbeing arising from the unequal distribution of income, consumption or other attributes across the population. The Belize Country Poverty Assessment 2010 was conducted using a three pronged approach. It included, 1) Living Standards Measurement Survey, 2) Participatory Poverty Assessment to obtain qualitative data, and an 3) Institutional Analysis to identify institutional measures being undertaken in regards to poverty reduction. The official General Poverty Line was constructed by adding a component for non-food expenditure to the Minimum Food Basket/Indigence Line. The annual GPL for Belize is calculated at $3,429. The Country Poverty Assessment 2010 that 43% of the national population falls below the official poverty line of which 16% are considered indigent. This represents an increase over figures for 2002 when the last poverty assessment was done. Each of the six districts of the country except for Toledo experienced an increase in both indigence and general poverty. Poverty in Belize is generally characterized by a lack of employment opportunities, low wages, lack of a supportive business environment, and exploitation of vulnerable groups15. FIGURE 3: HOUSEHOLD POVERTY IN BELIZE 100% 90% 80% 70% 57% 67% 67% 60% 76% 50% 40% 30% 27% 20% 22% 23% 17% 10% 16% 8% 10% 11% 0% Hholds 2002 Hholds 2009 Pop 2002 Pop 2009 Indigent Poor (not indigent) Not Poor SOURCE: COUNTRY POVERTY ASSSESSMENT 2010 15 NHDAC, 2006, NPESAP 2006-2010. 19 The sharpest rise in poverty has been in the northern district of Corozal where poverty doubled and indigence tripled. Notably, during the period when the CPA was conducted, Corozal was one of the districts repeatedly impacted by hurricane and flooding, thus underscoring the population‟s vulnerability to disasters. The poverty rate in Toledo has shown some improvement though indigence and poverty levels among indigenous peoples in Toledo remain the highest in the country. The highest urban poverty rates, including the indigent, are in Belize City, particularly the Southside area. FIGURE 4: POVERTY IN BELIZE BY DISTRICT Poverty 79 80 70 65 60 % Population Indigent 50 48 45 44 41 39 40 35 35 30 26 27 25 20 10 0 Corozal Orange Belize Cayo Stann Toledo Walk 2002 2009 Creek SOURCE: COUNTRY POVERTY ASSESSMENT REPORT 2010 The poverty map in Figure 4 below from the World Bank shows the mean per capita income across Belize with lowest incomes being in the Toledo and Corozal Districts confirming the results of the CPA. Poverty in Belize increased substantially between 2002 and 2009 primarily due to the global economic recession and the negative effects of natural disasters. Combining the urban and rural distributions provides an indication of the greatest concentrations of overall poverty in the country, which as noted early is dispersed widely: 80% of poverty in Belize is concentrated in 6 areas: Belize urban (16%), Corozal and Cayo rural (14% each), Toledo rural (13%), Orange Walk rural (12%) and Cayo urban (10%). The levels of household and individual poverty in Belize changed between 2000 and 2009 substantially. Household poverty increased around 27% from a quarter of all households to just under a third. Therefore, the proportion of “not poor households” decreased from 76% to 69%. The increase in indigent households was greater, just under 40%. The obvious implication of this is that households are still finding it more and more difficult to make ends meet. 16 The CPA also indicates how the size of the household is linked to poverty. Over 75% of indigent households and 66% of all poor households have 5 or more persons compared with 25% of “not 16 Halcrow/Country Poverty Assessment, 2010. 20 poor households”. The average size of poor households is 5.3 persons compared to 3.4 for “not poor households” demonstrate how indigence and poverty rates increase with household size. FIGURE 5: POVERTY MAP BY INCOME PER CAPITA SOURCE: WORLD BANK, 2013 It is estimated that 70% of poor households in Belize have at least one person working. This implies that the jobs that these persons hold are low-wage and less secure. The implication also is that inadequate jobs have a direct correlation to the level of poverty in the country. This situation is further exacerbated by large family sizes especially in rural areas which drive up the dependency ratio. The average size of poor households is 5.3 persons as against 3.4 for non-poor households. Agricultural workers and people with unskilled jobs are more likely to be poor or indigent. Overall, the agricultural sector has not changed since 2002 and continues to have higher poverty rates than any other sector. Even though the agricultural sector has the highest rate of poverty, other occupations are experiencing poverty as well and poverty is now distributed across most occupations. TABLE 2: POVERY RATES BY OCCUPATION 2002 & 2009 Occupation 2002 2009 Difference Managers 10 18 8 Clerical 4 27 23 Service Workers 20 31 11 Agriculturalists 50 52 2 Skilled manual 26 34 8 21 Unskilled 38 43 5 TOTAL 27 33 6 SOURCE: CPA 2010 The poverty gap ratio indicates how poverty in Belize has spread across the country more so than in 2002 where it was concentrated in the Toledo District. The following table (Table 3) shows how Toledo has demonstrated a considerable decrease in poverty where the other districts have increased. These increases have occurred through exogenous factors, such as the global economic recession and natural disasters, hurricanes and flooding. According to the CPA, the increases in poverty have affected urban and rural areas alike, but severe poverty remains higher in rural areas. All districts except Toledo have experienced increases in poverty and indigence due to the factors mentioned above, from which Toledo has remained to some extent immune because it is connected less to the mainstream economy that the rest of the country. The level of severe poverty in Toledo, however, remains higher than in the other districts. Poverty in Toledo is driven mainly by the high levels of poverty and indigence among indigenous peoples. TABLE 3: POVERTY GAP INDEX BY DISTRICT District 2002 2009 Change Corozal 7.0 13.9 +6.9 Orange Walk 9.3 10.8 +1.5 Belize District 6.2 7.1 +0.9 Cayo District 6.6 9.7 +3.1 Stann Creek 8.6 12.4 +3.8 Toledo 44.4 19.8 -24.6 Belize 10.9 10.8 -0.1 SOURCE: CPA 2010 In regards to age, children are the face of poverty in Belize. Given that Belize has a very large young population, the children under 15 demonstrate a poverty rate of 50% and indigence rate of 21%, higher than any other age group. Even though the elderly represent a small percentage of the population, the poverty rate for this age group has increased from 27% in 2002 to 34% in 2009. The other face of poverty in Belize is of the indigenous Mayan population. Even though their poverty levels have decreased from 77% in 2002 to 68% in 2009 they account for a third of the population that is the most indigent. All ethnic groups have increased, however the Garifuna and Mestizo populations increased the most and the lowest is the Creole at 32% poverty rate. The rate of poverty among gender lines has little disparity. Women have a slightly lower poverty rate than men by 40% to 42%. This is not to say that the hardships caused by poverty necessarily fall equally on men and women. Women by virtue of their responsibilities as mothers and homemakers in general will often experience the sharp end of having to deal with the lack of adequate funds to maintain their household, particularly where they have no independent source of income. It is interesting to note however that poverty rates of households where women are 22 employed are generally lower than those with working men only. The implication is that households where women work are less likely to be poor. It does not imply that women are earning more than men just that total household income will be higher in these households. Interestingly median monthly incomes of female and male workers differ little: BZ$700 for women compared with BZ$780 for men. According to the CPA, overall, the national Gini coefficient17 increased from 0.4 to 0.42 in 2009. The net effect of these changes is that there is less variation in district income distributions than existed in 2002 – which reflects the similar finding on the geographical distribution of poverty. Inequality in terms of access to services is greatly highlighted in education. Around 50% of households where the head did not complete primary school are poor compared with less than 15% for those with some secondary or tertiary education. A similar pattern is observed in terms of access to early childhood education. In the two poorest quintiles, poor Belizeans have very limited access to education especially in rural areas. The CPA confirms that poverty in Belize is extensive and persistent, though continues to impact some populations more than others. The results indicate the following trends that must be considered in terms of poverty programmes:  One in three persons (33.5%) live below the poverty line;  One in three of those living in poverty are indigent;  Rural Belizeans are almost twice as likely to be poor as are urban Belizeans;  Poor households have a higher proportion of unskilled workers;  Poverty is distributed across the country with Corozal showing an increase, however, the Toledo District is improving but continues to be the poorest district in Belize. According to the Millennium Development Goals Report and Post 2015 Agenda, despite economic growth and increased social programmes, reducing poverty is Millennium Development Goal number one and Belize is not on track to reduce poverty by 16.6% by 2015. The report implores that there be stronger targeting mechanisms to ensure assistance directed to the poor. The CDB reports that “greater development effort will be required to attack poverty through several fronts, these include: addressing significant needs in education; supporting strategies to reduce crime and enhance security, as well as support for sustainable livelihood projects in agriculture and tourism. “18

3.2 FACTORS OF SOCIAL VULNERABILITY IN BELIZE Amongst the population of Belize, poverty is associated with the lack of basic needs which includes housing, water, and food with limited access to education and health services. Overall, there is a struggle to survive amongst those living in poverty. According to the CPA, seventy percent of the population says that economic issues are the cause of poverty indicating lack of jobs, high prices, and lack of demand for their products. The coping strategy for many people 17 The Gini coefficient is a standard measure of income inequality where 0 represents complete equality and 1, complete inequality. 18 Caribbean Development Bank, Country Strategy Paper 2011-2015 Belize. 23 results in engaging in illegal activity which only perpetuates the cycle of poverty. The people of Belize believe that various approaches should be done to address the situation at hand. Some of these include financial assistance for education, reduced cost of health care and improved access to services, improving infrastructure, more social services, life skills programmes, and a support business environment to create more small businesses.

3.2.1 Unemployment Belize‟s GDP per capita, which is low relative to peers in the region, grew at about 1% in real terms on average yearly since 2008. This along with increasing poverty is reflected in high unemployment, widening income disparity, lagging educational attainment and rising crime19. Unemployment was at 16% in September 2012, affecting the youth (30%) and women (22.4%) more severely. There was a gradual decline in unemployment from 1998 to 2007 followed by a substantial jump from 9% to 13% in the last two years as the economic situation has worsened. Notably, female unemployment more than doubled between 2007 and 2009 while male unemployment remained virtually unchanged. The tertiary sector provides almost two-thirds of jobs in Belize and the retail sector alone provides one-fifth of all jobs. For women, the tertiary jobs make up almost 80% of all female employment (23% of women‟s employment is in retail and 15% in tourism). The primary construction sectors are a much more important source of jobs for men than for women; 26% of working men work in the agricultural sector and another 12% work in construction. FIGURE 6: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BY DISTRICT, APRIL 2012 SOURCE: STATISTICAL INSTITUTE OF BELIZE The results of the April Labour Force Survey 2013 show some decrease in unemployment thought it still remains high. The Statistical Institute of Belize reports that the national unemployment rate was 12.1% in April 2013, compared to 14.4% in April of 2012 as shown in Figure 5 above. Currently, unemployment is highest in the Stann Creek District at 15.5% and lowest in the Toledo District at 8%. Unemployment declined in all districts except Belize and 19 IMF Country Report No.13/227 July 2013 24 Stann Creek. But in Toledo and Cayo unemployment fell by more than five percentage points, due to greater employment in the agriculture sector. The unemployment rate was more than three times higher among women than it was in men.

3.2.2 Health According to the Belize Country Cooperative Strategy 2008-2011, Belize‟s health profile is similar to most countries in Central America and the Caribbean as it is still grappling with communicable diseases (CD) as well as non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as the main causes of death and illness. Overall, health indicators show improvement, but some preventable causes of death and illness remain major health challenges. For males, the five leading causes of death in 2010 were homicide and injury intentionally inflicted, HIV/AIDS, ischemic heart disease, diabetes and cerebrovascular disease. While for females, the leading causes of death were diabetes, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, diseases of pulmonary circulation and other forms of heart disease and respiratory infections. 20 Total life expectancy at birth increased from 69.3 years in 2006 to 73.6 years in 2011 (male 71.3 years, female 76.1 years)21. The total fertility rate was 2.6 children per woman in 2010 and the overall dependency ratio dropped from 81% in 2002 to 66% in 2009. The increases may reflect mainly changes in fertility trends. FIGURE 7: LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN BELIZE SOURCE: HEALTH IN THE AMERICAS, 2012 Injuries and violence continue to be major factors in the mortality profile in Belize. Road traffic injuries affect all age groups over 1 year of age, in particular, the 20-59 age group (35.5% of deaths from external causes for 2001-2005). In a study done on the Economic Impact of Road 20 The Ministry of Health, Government of Belize. Health Statistics of Belize 2005-2010. 21 Pan American Health Organization, 2012. Health in the Americas 2012 Edition, Country Volume. 25 Traffic Injuries August 2010 a total of 63 people died as a consequence of RTI during 2007 (a mortality rate of 20.72 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants), 338 were hospitalized and a total of 565 slightly injured was estimated. There is a high prevalence of communicable diseases in Belize, including dengue, respiratory diseases, and intestinal illnesses that constitute part of the “unfinished agenda” in public health, as well as others that present new challenges, to include but not limited to HIV/AIDS and the TB co-infection, along with the ever present threat of pandemic influenza. HIV and AIDS continue to pose challenges for Belize, however there has been progress and infections are decreasing. Belize saw a 50% decline in new HIV infections, but still has the highest sero-prevalence in Central America and the fourth highest in the Caribbean22. From 1986 – 2009, there were 5,045 reported cases of HIV and 963 deaths. The majority of deaths were recorded in the Belize district (69.5%). In 2009, 9,236 persons were tested for HIV, of which 4.9% tested positive. Stann Creek had the highest positivity rate (7.8%) followed by Belize district (4.3%). The 50 years and above age groups had the highest positivity rate (8.0%). According to the United Nations AIDS Programme, for 2012, there were 3,100 cases of HIV, where men are affected more so than women and the adult prevalence rate is 1.4%. Less than 200 deaths occurred in 2012 due to HIV23. On a positive note, HIV/AIDS infections are down recently and there is progress in access to treatment and coverage rate. There is also a national condom distribution plan where the Government distributes free condoms to try and curtail the epidemic. There is also a strategic plan to increase education, information and communication on prevention of HIV. The Government of Belize has a policy of universal access to primary health care, and a network of clinics and permanently staffed health centres and health posts are available to address the basic health care needs of the population. Despite health sector reform efforts, the Government remains the main provider of health services, though recently there have been greater efforts for a public-private mix, through NHI, which aims at promoting equitable access for disadvantaged population groups. The system of rural health centres with permanent staff is supplemented by mobile health services, community nurses‟ aides, voluntary collaborators, and traditional birth attendants working in rural communities. The private sector has been expanding over the past few years, both in size and services provided. There are several NGOs that provide specialized services as well. Belize has done well with health related MDG‟s: child mortality, maternal health, major diseases are slowly improving.

3.2.3 Vulnerable Groups About 48.3% of Belize‟s population is under the age of eighteen. There are many issues currently that are negatively affecting the youth. The Belize Crime Commission is still reporting a high level of youth crime and violence due to weakness in the family unit, deficiencies in the educational system and poverty. Current issues that face youth today consist of malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, crime and violence, lack of education, and health related issues. A gang culture and gun violence persists in urban Belize City with devastating consequences. The Belizean youth 22 Pan American Health Organization, 2012. Health in the Americas 2012 Edition, Country Volume. 23 www.unaids.org 26 continue to need a supportive family structure that guides them into the future. Along with this, it is crucial that quality education and training develop the youth with life skills and critical thinking. Access to education must be addressed in order for the youth to be prepared to make that transition to adulthood and productive citizenship and reducing their vulnerability. Belize lags behind in addressing human trafficking issues.24 Sex tourism continues to occur in Belize and goes unimpeded. Belize holds a poor record in protecting girls from sexual exploitation and prevents new victims from entering this world. Prosecuting the trafficking network that maintains girls in commercial sexual exploitation happens rarely and needs to be improved. Related to this is that Belize is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically forced prostitution and forced labour. Child sex tourism has become an emerging trend in Belize where vulnerable or poor families force their daughter to provide sex in exchange for money or gifts. Often times families from neighbouring countries migrate to Belize and end up in this situation. Efforts on behalf of the Government of Belize are beginning to recognize the problem, however there is need to increase efforts to investigate and prosecute trafficking offenses and convict and punish trafficking offenders, increase law enforcement efforts against both labour and sex trafficking. A positive development recently was the passage of an amendment to Belize‟s criminal code that gives gender neutral protection to males and females in terms of sexual violence. Challenges persist in terms of addressing rural and indigenous groups that remain at greater risk of poverty and poor health indicators than urban and non-indigenous groups. 25 The Country Poverty Assessment 2010 shows that the rate of poverty among the Mayas is at 68%, the highest among all other ethnic groups in the country. Fifty one percent are considered indigent meaning they not able to adequately meet calorific needs and overall account for a third of the indigent population nationally. Poverty as a major social issue among indigenous peoples is manifested in other related issues such as limited access to education, and lack of proper health care. For instance, attendance of Mayan children in school is lower than all other ethnic groups, at all levels, from primary to tertiary levels26. Similarly, a high rate of malnutrition is evidenced by the highest rate of stunting occurring among Mayan children besides other issues related to maternal and child health 27 . The situation of indigenous Mayas in Belize is not anything unlike the experiences of indigenous peoples in the region. Under these circumstances their socio-economic wellbeing continues to demand attention both at policy and operational levels. 24 US State Department‟s Trafficking in Persons Report 2010 25 UNDAF Belize 2007-2011 26 Alonzo et al. (2013). Challenges and Opportunities in the Belize Education Sector. Technical Note No. IDB-TN- 538. Inter-American Development Bank. 27 UNICEF. (2012). Belize Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey. Final Report. 27 4 NATIONAL POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY

4.1 NATIONAL FRAMEWORKS The Government of Belize developed a National Poverty Elimination Strategy and Action Plan (NPESAP) for the period 2009 - 2013. The current NPESAP contains a better analysis of the poverty situation in the country. It was developed using a more participatory approach as the development process featured nationwide consultations which was absent in the previous strategy. Additionally, the new NPESAP is fully aligned with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and as such the implementation of the strategy should result in the achievement of the MDG‟s as well. The NPESAP sets out issues and measures in the macro-structural, human development and infrastructure areas, and simultaneously targets urban and rural poverty and the cross cutting issues of governance, gender and environment. The five strategic thrusts of the NPESAP each target a specific set of national priorities. The first, Economic Policies for Enabled Growth, seeks to address the need for a stable macroeconomic and fiscal environment to ensure that resources for social programmes are not diverted toward monetary and fiscal imbalances. The second, Effective Planning and Transparent and Accountable Governance for Growth, sets out key priorities which include improved accountability, transparency and public service delivery. The third, Investing in Human Capital Development, addresses human capabilities and human development needs. It provides for expanded education and health opportunities for the poor and disadvantaged. The fourth, Infrastructure for Economic Growth, incorporates priorities in the areas of private enterprise, infrastructure and trade. The activities in this area include measures to improve communication and transportation linkages between poor communities and larger population centres and to enable rural communities to access potable water and sanitation. The final strategic area, Strategic Support for Equity and Development, provides for specific interventions to improve the conditions of residents in key geographic areas, such as Belize City Southside and the Toledo District, as well as other vulnerable groups. The NPESAP places emphasis on improving access, coverage, efficiency and equity in health and education and the continued expansion and improvement in potable water supply systems. It also calls for the improvement of education facilities through expanded and upgraded infrastructure and proposes the rehabilitation and expansion of rural primary (inclusive of early childhood education centres) and secondary schools and health facilities based on poverty, school statistics and population. The most recent Education Sector Strategy (2011 – 2016) makes a similar call in addition highlighting the need to improve education quality. Additionally, four special focus areas were identified by the NPESAP to take into account the most pressing concerns expressed during public consultations and after assessing on-going interventions. These include high youth unemployment and low secondary level survival rates. The intervention proposed for addressing the low labour force participation and school secondary school survival rate is to provide a subsidy to low-income families living at or below the poverty line with children that are both school age and working age. The second special area of focus is supporting improvement in the land management framework and in natural resource management practices including the protection of water resources. The third area of focus is on 28 ageing as it regards older persons as a vulnerable group. The last special focus area is on the vulnerability of children of families in the lower income brackets to crime and violence especially in urban areas. The Belize Medium Term Development Strategy 2010 – 2013 reaffirms the strategic focus of the NPESAP and also sets our five sectoral focus areas namely, 1) Enterprise Development, 2) International Trade Capacity and Competitiveness, 3) Environment and Disaster Risk Management, 4) Human Development and 5) National and Citizen Security. The focus on human development entails efforts to improve health, nutrition and education services and to address needs in the labour market, social protection and social safety areas. The strategic objectives for education under the Human Development area reflect those outlined in the NPESAP. They include a focus on early childhood education, reducing drop-out rates especially at the secondary level, improving achievement and quality, and improving the professional development of teachers. It also promotes the development and implementation of training programmes in particular for vocational skills sets demanded by the identified priority export sectors. In promoting a longer term development strategy, the Government of Belize also recently developed the Belize Horizon 2010-2030 National Development Framework. The Strategies under the Horizon 2030 Framework are grouped under four thematic areas. These are: 1) Democratic Governance For Effective Public Administration And Sustainable Development; 2) Education For Development - Education For Life; 3) Economic Resilience: Generating Resources For Long Term Development; and 4) The Bricks and the Mortar - Healthy Citizens and A Healthy Environment. Horizon 2030 reflects a shared national long term vision for Belize and was the outcome of a long participatory process that engaged a wide cross-section of society and institutions in its development. While not specifically mentioning poverty reduction, Belizeans enjoying a high quality of life is one of the key elements of the national vision and specific actions are proposed to achieve this.

4.2 GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES AND INTERVENTIONS The Government of Belize has undertaken several programmes aimed at addressing poverty and social exclusion that are in line with the broad strategies and visions articulated by national development frameworks. Some key pro-poor initiatives include BOOST (Building opportunities for our social transformation), CAPS (Community Action for Public Safety), and the Southside Poverty Alleviation Project. BOOST is a programme through the Ministry of Human Development and Social Transformation, conditional cash transfer programme aimed at achieving immediate poverty reduction through regular cash payments subject to certain criteria and breaking the cycle of poverty through the positive social development of children. The project is aimed at five different groups: women who are pregnant, children 0-4, school children, elderly and physically disabled. The programme basically requests you to vaccinate your children, send them to school and if you are pregnant to see a doctor in exchange for BZ$44- BZ$82 a month. BOOST is also 29 helping poor households access financial services such as the credit union. The World Bank published an article in June of 2012 that praises the programme because “in a little over a year, the program surpasses the results of similar initiatives in bigger countries”28. The CAPS Project is a four year, ten million dollar project, financed through the Inter-American Development bank to contribute to the reduction of youth crime in Belize City. The project will build a youth center with recreational activities and juvenile youth rehabilitation. The Southside Poverty Alleviation Project will turn canals in the Jane Usher Boulevard area that are in such deplorable condition into aesthetic development. Essentially they will be narrower and the streets would be wider making the vicinity more pedestrian-friendly by having sidewalks. A new project, with support from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), was recently launched to contribute to youth development in Belize City. The Youth and Community Transformation Project is a $15 million dollar initiative aimed at addressing the needs of youth on the Southside of Belize City. The project is focused specifically on the constituencies of Port Loyola, Lake Independence, Pickstock and Collet. The construction/rehabilitation of critical community infrastructure including a new Lake Independence Resource Centre and the upgrading of the Wilton-Cumberbatch playing field are part of the project activities. The Government of Belize has also received technical assistance from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to implement the social agenda of the NPESAP. The technical assistance valued at $3.4 million is to help the government address 1) Health, nutrition and social protection responses to consequences of food crisis, 2) Quality and Coverage of Education Component, and 3) Targeting Efficiency and Evaluation of Social Services.

4.3 OTHER DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS In addition to national initiatives, there are various government ministries, NGO‟s and international organizations that are actively involved in promoting Belize‟s sustainable development. There are five UN agencies that maintain offices in Belize: UNICEF, UNFPA, PAHO/WHO, UNAIDS and the UNDP. However, the UN System has also 13 non-resident Agencies that include Belize into their areas of action. Even though some of them have been active in the country (FAO, UNESCO, and recently UNODC), most of them do not have programs funded in Belize and their participation is mainly in joining projects when they arise. The UN System in Belize finalized and signed in April 2012 the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2013-2016 with the Government of Belize. The UNDAF provides the basis for joint programming and cooperation among the UN agencies present in the country. The UNDAF process, based on the analysis factored within the Common Country Assessment (CCA), identified four broad priorities for the UN assistance and development cooperation framework: (1) Advancing Human Rights with Equity, Equality and Non-Discrimination; (2) Promoting Economic and Social Well-being, Citizen Security and Justice; (3) Environmental and Natural Resource Management, Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Mainstreamed into Public Policies and Development Processes, and (4) Democratic Governance. 28 World Bank June 2012. Belize “BOOSTS” School Attendance and Access to Financial Services for the Poor” 30 Belize is also a member of the Organization of the American States (OAS). The four entities of the system that are operating in the country are the OAS country office, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA), and PAHO. The IADB has provided support to close the gap in health equity through the Salud Meso-America project for those living in the lowest income quintile. Most of the aid given by the IDB was mainly to support projects in agriculture, disasters, urban development, water and sanitation, sustainable infrastructure, tourism and education. 31 5 ROLE AND CONTRIBUTION OF BNTF TO POVERTY REDUCTION

5.1 CDB COUNTRY STRATEGY The BNTF Programme in Belize falls under the CDB Country Strategy. The objectives of CDB‟s strategy for Belize focuses on enhancing sustainable economic growth by: supporting attempts to correct fiscal and external imbalances; financing investments deemed critical for enhancing growth; lending to eligible private sector entities; and financing critical social development projects. In regards to social sector development specifically, among other strategies, CDB will: (i) address crime and security issues; (ii) improve the quality of human resources; and (iii) pay due attention to social cohesion, including addressing the needs of the poor and under-privileged groups.

5.2 ROLE AND EXPERIENCE OF BNTF Recent evaluations of BNTF 5 and the Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) of BNTF 6 have highlighted the relevance of the Programme and its achievements in social development. Beneficiaries have acknowledged BNTF as an important vehicle that filled gaps in coverage of services. Sub-project interventions provided access to enhanced social infrastructure (multi-purpose resource centres, educational, health, day-care and other facilities) and upgraded the quality of services provided by water, sanitation and drainage systems, roads, and footpaths, previously unavailable or inaccessible to the community. There remains a high demand particularly for BNTF investments. Demands were greatest in education and human resource development (46%), water and sanitation (23%) and community access (13%). BNTF has encouraged the participation of community groups in the design, supervision, and post construction maintenance of the sub- projects through the formation of Project Monitoring Committees (PMC). Participation from the community groups is promoted from the design of a sub-project.

5.3 BNTF 6 PROGRAMME The Belize BNTF program has contributed strongly to national development through the provision of social infrastructure including resource centres, schools, health clinics and through access created to water, sanitation, drainage and roads. Traditionally demand in Belize has been highest for education and water supply projects with about 60% of the BNTF6 investments being in these sectors. The Mid-Term Evaluation of the BNTF 6 Programme shows that the BNTF continues to be relevant to participating bank member countries. The programme continues to reach the poorest communities indicating the relevance of the PRAP as a key feature. Nonetheless, the programme has been challenged by insufficient data to measure effectiveness though it is evident from the outputs that positive outcomes have been achieved. Similarly, poor maintenance limits the effectiveness and sustainability of interventions already carried out. Under Belize‟s BNTF 6 Programme a total of 26 projects were implemented as of November 2013. A total of 26, 942 persons benefited from the interventions across the country. The Belize 32 BNTF6 program is valued at $6.6M under this program. Project funds are fully committed under BNTF 6. Most of the resources allocated went into the Education, Water and Health sectors. A significant portion of the resources also went into an integrated community project done in rural Toledo. All projects were carried out in direct collaboration with relevant line Ministries. About 6% of the resources went into providing skills training for youth. Under BNTF 6, a new approach of working directly with ITVETs was established in order to increase the efficiency of implementing skills training subprojects given that ITVETs were already set up to provide vocational training. The results of the effort have been mixed. Some students took full advantage of the programme while others lagged behind with limited uptake. Several observations were made in the Mid Term Evaluation for BNTF 6 which should be noted as lessons learned for BNTF 7:  The need for greater community participation,  Closer alignment with country strategies,  Improved results reporting,  Improved process efficiency and  The need to strengthen the capacity for maintenance of the investments made. The new cycle, BNTF7, has been redesigned to address these areas. In BNTF7, maintenance will be given greater importance through project development that includes the promotion of community ownership, improved designs and specifications, construction quality and shared learning from maintenance initiatives in other BNTF country programs. FIGURE 8: ALLOCATION OF BNTF 6 RESOURCES 6% 21% Community Markets Education 31% Health 9% Integrated Project Skills Training 6% Vulnerable Persons Water & Sanitation 14% 13% 33

5.4 BNTF 7 PROGRAMME The seventh cycle of the BNTF program, BNTF7, was approved with approximately $10.6 million for projects in Belize in October 2012. Of this amount, $10.1 million is grant funds and $0.5 million represents Government of Belize financing. BNTF interventions in general are carried out in three core priority sectors: 1) Education and human resource development (HRD), including pilots in micro-enterprise development and youth and citizen security, 2) Water and sanitation; and 3) Basic community access and drainage. There is specific focus on the vulnerability of youth and marginalized communities; and a strategic and efficient market-driven and outcome-based approach to training and livelihoods enhancement. For Belize specifically, BNTF 7 will focus in two sectors namely, 1) Education and Human Resource Development and 2) Water and Sanitation. The Project Steering Committee (PSC) for the BNTF Programme, made up mainly of Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of relevant line Ministries and community representatives decided to focus on these two areas based on the complementarity of the BNTF programme to on-going initiatives led by the Government and support by other development partners. The PSC also decided not to get involved in access and drainage activities as the Ministry of Works and Transport requested to the BSIF/BNTF that these works be maintained directly under their responsibility.

5.4.1 Education Sector Belize has made modest progress in both expanding access and improving the quality of its education system over the past ten years. There are still however major challenges that it faces in those key areas. School attendance continues to be among the lowest in the region. At the pre- school level, one in three children are enrolled which is significantly below the regional average of 65%. The majority of children in pre-school are enrolled mainly in the Belize District and urban areas29. The net enrolment rate (NER) at the primary level only increased by 1% from the period 2001 to 2010 from 94% to 95% respectively even though primary school education is mandatory in Belize. The 5% that are not enrolled in school is mainly due to the costs associated with schooling and availability of school facilities especially at the early childhood level. Even though primary education is officially free in Belize, some families cannot afford uniforms and books and therefore some children still do not attend school. The NER for secondary education is even lower though some improvement has been achieved there from 2004 (44%) to 2010 (49%). 30. Nonetheless about more than half of Belize‟s secondary-age school children remain out of school. By comparison, other English-speaking Caribbean countries have more than double the coverage in Belize (averaging about 80% at the secondary level.) Those who do no complete secondary school reduce their chances to enter the labour market which increases their risk of becoming involved in criminal activities. 29 Alonzo et al. (2013). Challenges and Opportunities in the Belize Education Sector. Technical Note No. IDB-TN- 538. Inter-American Development Bank. 30 Belize Education Sector Strategy 2011 – 2016. 34 According to the recent (2013) technical study carried out by IDB on Belize‟s education system, education coverage is increasing only among the wealthiest students. At the primary level, students from families in the highest income quintile were the only group that experienced a slight increase in attendance rates (2 percentage points) over the last 10 years. The enrolment gap between the wealthiest and poorest groups of primary school students increased from 2 percentage points in 1999 to 7 percentage points in 2009. Similarly, children from the wealthiest quintile are now more than twice as likely to be enrolled in secondary schools as those in the poorest quintile. There is a particular concern that students from rural areas have limited access to secondary education. In 2009, while five in ten students living in urban areas were enrolled in secondary schools, only three in ten residing in rural areas were attending school. The urban- rural gap in primary schools has remained largely constant at 2 percentage points over the last decade. In 2009, 93% of primary-aged children in urban areas attended school, compared with 91% in rural areas. The CPA also highlights the fact that given the correlation between poverty and rural areas, the much higher non enrolment rate is to be expected and can be seen more as reflecting a low distribution of schools in rural areas and not simply because of a decision not to attend school. This is particularly concerning given the importance of education in developing the skills needed to take up employment opportunities in the future. Notwithstanding all these pressing challenges, Belize is on track to attaining universal primary education enrolment (MDG Goal #2) target of 100% by 2015. The BNTF is expected to contribute to this goal by expanding access especially in poor rural areas. Belize‟s teaching force at both primary and secondary levels is largely unqualified. Forty percent of teachers are untrained. The schools in the southern districts of Stann Creek and Toledo have the lowest proportion of trained teachers (approximately 33% in each district) and report the lowest student performance on the PSE exam, with approximately 64% of the students obtaining unsatisfactory grades. This is a crucial aspect to the quality of education that the children receive and how that contributes to the national development of the country. Technical and vocational education also remains a problem as well with low enrolment. The provision of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Belize remains problematic, and despite substantial investment, enrolment has been disappointing. Four centres that were already established in 2001 have seen no increase in enrolment. There is a prevalent and persistent view that TVET options are for the less academically inclined student, who must opt for this as a last resort having failed to secure a place in a junior college, or in regular secondary school. In order to address the challenges associated with enrolment, repetition and drop-out rates the Ministry of Education (MOE) hopes to adopt a number of strategies. At the pre-primary level, the government intends to increase the number of schools and hire additional teachers to maintain the current student/teacher ratio. Additionally, the MOE intends to open preschool classes in selected primary schools across the country and establish school feeding programs in poorer areas. At the primary and secondary levels, the government will focus on developing special school-based programs, run before and after normal school hours that aim to reintegrate out-of-school children into formal schooling and providing incentives to teachers to staff such programs. The Education Sector Strategy calls for new constructions of primary schools to go 35 from $7,154,083 in 2011 to $13,336,509 by 2015 to ensure a proper learning environment as well as to meet population growth needs. The MOE has also rolled out a Quality School Initiative (QSI) which aims to strengthen school leadership and plans to expand school feeding programmes as well with the programme. Also with assistance from the IDB, the Ministry initiated a public financing reform of secondary education. The new Financing Allocation System (FAS) is to guarantee greater equity in school financing and to ensure that students have equal access to a sufficiently broad and relevant curriculum. The system is now based on the courses offered, the average cost per student, the number of students enrolled, and the number of students with special needs. Rather than funding a sophisticated curriculum in some schools, the government now funds the basic curriculum in all schools. Schools, therefore, have an incentive to collaborate on the offering of courses outside the basic curriculum. Also in strengthening governance as per the National Education Strategy, the IDB will be supporting a quality assurance system and teacher quality by establishing national teacher education and accountability standards. Specific initiatives to address the challenges within the education sector and support its development are outlined in the table below: TABLE 4: ACTORS AND ACTIONS IN EDUCATION SECTOR Lead Organization Programme/Project Focus Areas Partners Involved Ministry of Education  Government‟s Textbook  Nation-wide School Management Programme  Select schools IDB  School Feeding  Rural areas Programme  Nation-wide  Transportation assistance  Secondary  Secondary School Finance school students Reform  Education Subsidy Ministry of Education  Primary and Secondary  Southern Belize EU-Banana Support Education Teacher (Stann Creek Programme Training Project in District) Banana Belt Social Investment Fund  Education infrastructure  Target areas MOE especially rural School Management CDB Ministry of Human  BOOST Programme  Primary School MOE Development attendance – World Bank Nation-wide (8,600 beneficiaries) YWCA  Alternative education  Urban and rural BRDP-EU programmes, adult poor (Belize, MOE literacy, adult skills Cayo and training, after school Toledo) programmes, pre-school programmes IDB  Education  Increase access MOE to education School Management 36 from primary to tertiary and improve the quality of education, and school financing programme (focus on poorest districts) UNICEF  Education- Early  Nationwide MOE Childhood Education and School Management School Readiness As can be noted from Table 4 above, the MOE is taking considerable steps to address the challenges of the education sector. The key issues from expanding early childhood education, improving secondary school enrolment, improve teacher training to addressing the needs of school dropouts are all being addressed by the MOE and its partners in varying degrees. The Education Sector Strategy (ESS) has outlined key policy objectives and outputs for the sector over the period 2011 – 2016 as follows: TABLE 5: ESS POLICY OBJECTIVES AND OUTPUTS Objectives Outputs 1) Increase Equitable Access At All 1. Expand access to Pre-School Education (3-4 yr. olds) Levels Of Education 2. Increased enrolment and completion at primary level 3. Expanded access and increased completion rates at the secondary level. 4. Increased enrolment in technical and vocational programmes 5. Improve completion rates at tertiary level. 6. Improve enrolment of children with Special Education Needs 7. Expand access to pre-service and in-service professional development for teachers 8. Applying new technologies to increase access and achievement 2) Improve The Quality And Relevance 1. Improved school leadership and management for Of Education At All Levels school effectiveness 2. Improved effectiveness of teachers in supporting student achievement at all levels 3. Approved Teacher Education (TE) programmes effectively delivered by all institutions training teachers 4. Increased number of appropriately certified teachers at all levels 5. Improved relevance and delivery of the primary and secondary curriculum. 6. Improve the quality and relevance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training 7. Improve education services to children with SEN 3) Strengthen Governance Throughout 1. Increased accountability of schools to parents and The Sector With Emphasis On local communities for school performance Increased Student Achievement 2. Schools are governed and managed in accordance with requirements in the education rules. 3. Improve management effectiveness of MOEY 37 and District Education Centres 4. Quality assurance system based on common minimum standards of service delivery applied across all educational institutions 5. MOEY publishes through website annual report of performance against targets of Education Sector Strategy. Contributing to the strategic objective of the MOE for this sector will require targeted interventions and support to various critical factors identified given how varied the required outputs identified are. The BNTF programme has a complementary role to play in attaining the strategic objectives. The role of the BNTF in the education sector therefore is to facilitate the expansion of the coverage of education from early childhood to the secondary level in the neediest areas in parallel with improvements in quality. The capacity of BNTF to deliver in these aspects especially in rural areas can help to ensure that other aspects of the Ministry‟s educational strategies can be achieved more efficiently.

5.4.2 Water and Sanitation The share of the population with an improved water source increased from 43.6% in 1995 to 76.4% in 2006. Indeed, alternative estimates suggest that access to safe drinking water nationally grew to 99.5% in 2008, though rural areas lag behind at 90%. UNDP Belize estimates that Belize is on track to achieve the target of 100% access in 201531. Villages in Belize that rely on public taps or standpipes and hand-pumps are not typically considered as having access to an improved source of drinking water. However, using the MDG classification, these villages would be considered as having access to an „improved source of drinking water‟ 32 . Nonetheless, approximately 10% of households in Toledo still use rivers, ponds, streams, creeks and springs as their primary source of water, the highest of all districts (national average 2.1%), making this district still vulnerable to water–borne diseases.33 The ten villages without any form of water supply in the country are located in the Belize District (six villages), one in Cayo, and three in Toledo. Aside from the availability of rural water systems, there are approximately 22 villages where the existing water system was not functioning properly, affecting 2627 households. The failure of these systems is linked to lack of management capacity, and lack of self-sufficiency in terms of user-fees to pay for maintenance and repairs. This is usually the case where the connections are not metered. Rural water systems are also managed by Water Boards that are politically appointed and this has caused many to not have the required level of accountability especially given the fact that hardly any considerations are given to administrative or technical capacities when appointments are made. Significant progress has been made in sanitation as well, especially in the rural areas. In 2009, 73.5% of households had improved sanitation and 64.4% used flush toilets 34. The recent MDG report (2013) released by UNDP shows significant improvements with 96.5% of the total population are now using improve sanitation facility. With respect to solid waste, approximately 31 Belize Scorecard and Outlook 2010. United Nations Development Programme. 2010. 32 Belize MDG Acceleration Framework. Water and Sanitation. UNDP. 2011. 33 Pan American Health Organization, 2010, Health in the Americas Country Volume 2010. 34 Ibid. 38 50% of households do not have municipal garbage collection and almost 30% of garbage is burnt. The situation with respect to solid waste poses a significant risk to vector borne diseases and the burning of such presents a risk to respiratory problems such as asthma. The state-owned Belize Water Services (BWS) is contributing to increasing coverage. In some instances it is extending its service to rural areas as well. There is however areas where this may not be likely and the BNTF can fill this gap in the reach of BWSL in rural areas. The Social Investment Fund through its Strategic Plan has made the strategic decision to push for the achievement of universal coverage with potable running water considering that it is very close to making the target. The BNTF has made significant investments in this sector and has contributed to the high levels of achievement currently realized. Achieving full coverage by 2015 requires implementing geographical targeting, especially for rural communities in the Belize and Toledo districts. The Belize River Valley Water Project underway is expected to connect nine rural communities in that region taking rural coverage with potable running water even closer to the target leaving only the Toledo District to be addressed. In order to enhance existing water systems in both rural and urban areas, there are currently upgrading projects taking place. The Sarteneja Water System for instance is being upgraded by the installation of a new reverse osmosis plant. This is being carried out by the Social Investment Fund. A water and sewerage expansion project is also being carried out by the government in San Pedro with funding from the CDB. The main water and sanitation initiatives that are currently underway are shown in the table below. They are currently being financed through CDB, IADB and UNDP. TABLE 6: ACTORS AND ACTIONS IN THE WATER & SANITATION SECTOR Lead Organization Programme/Project Focus Areas Partner Involved Belize Water Services  Upgrade of BWSL's  Northern Highway junction to CDB, GOB Ltd. network capacity Burrell Boom, increasing and reduction of capacity at the Double Run non-revenue water Treatment Plant, replacing through the storage tank at Wilson St., upgrading of Belize City, and procuring and transmission lines. installing leak detection equipment Belize Water Services  Belize River Valley  Construction of a system to CDB, GOB Ltd. Water Supply provide potable water to Project villagers of Bermudian Landing, Double Head Cabbage, Flowers' Bank, Isabella Bank, Lemonal, St. Paul's Bank, Rancho Dolores, Scotland Halfmoon, and Willows Bank (Belize District). Belize Water Services  Integrated Water &  Increase Placencia and Seine IDB, GEF, and GOB Ltd. Sanitation Bight residents' access to Programme for the sanitation services through the Placencia Peninsula development of a sewage 39 collection and treatment system on the Placencia Peninsula  MDG Water  Institutionalize democratic Ministry of Labour, Governance Project governance practices in rural UNDP and GOB Local Government water and sanitation service and Rural delivery and build leadership Development capacities within the MLLGRD (MLLGRD) to improve the coordination and performance of local water boards and their respective communities The Ministry responsible for Rural Development generally takes charge of addressing water issues for rural communities and works closely with the BSIF/BNTF programme. While BWSL is a state-owned entity it does not set polices regarding rural access to water. Nevertheless, with the already high level of access to potable running water coupled with the significant investment in the Belize River Valley, Belize is very close to attaining universal coverage in water. The main issues are the few remaining communities without water located mainly in the Toledo District among indigenous communities and the improvements necessary in the management of rural water systems. The MLLGRD and the UNDP are working to address this key issue with water governance project. Not only is the project focused on strengthening local management, it is also working on improving the delivery and leadership capacity within the Ministry itself. The BNTF can contribute to improved management by providing proper training at the delivery of rural water systems and by constructing systems where they are not currently available. 40 6 PRIORITIZED ACTIONS UNDER BNTF 7 The expected overall outcome of BNTF 7 in Belize is improved access to education and potable water in low-income and vulnerable communities. The prioritized actions are linked complementary to national programmes and are linked to strategies in the Horizon 2030 National Development Framework as well as the Millennium Development Goals. It also conforms to CDBs strategic outcomes to “promoting broad-based economic growth and inclusive social development and associated corporate priority to promote social protection measures and promoting good governance and associate corporate priority to promote social partnerships.” According the Country Strategy, CDB proposes to assist Belize to close the growth-poverty gap by: improving the opportunities for persons to escape poverty, increasing inclusivity and reducing vulnerability. Other CDB interventions are designed to contribute to the following additional outcomes: improved quality and access to education and training; enhanced social and community development; and improved environmental sustainability.

6.1 NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS The target sectors of the PRAP, take into account national development goals as well as millennium development goals. Investments in both Education & HRD and Water and Sanitation fit well within the Horizon 2030 Pillars 2 and 4. The also correspond the two clear MDG goals as shown in Table 7 below. TABLE 7: BNTF AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS BNTF 7 Intervention National Development Goals MDG’s (Horizon 2030) Pillar 2 - Education for Goal 2 - Achieve Universal 1. Education and Human Development- Education for Life Education Resource Development and Lifelong Learning Human Development Pillar 4 - Healthy People and Goal 7 - Ensure Environmental 2. Water and Sanitation Healthy Environment Sustainability-Access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation

6.2 PROPOSED AREAS OF INTERVENTION The Resource Allocation Matrix outlines BNTF 7 interventions in line with sectoral strategies and targets. The following provides details on the actions proposed under the target sectors.

6.2.1 Education The BNTF is poised to make significant contributions to national development goals in the education sectors. These can be done in several areas. These include early childhood education, supply and improve primary education facilities in underserved areas, and facilitate the development of school feeding programmes. All these areas are directly in line with the 41 strategies outlined in the Education Sector Strategy, are sensitive to the poverty realities and the needs of the poor and complement on-going actions. Strategy 1: Support access to early childhood education. Early childhood care and stimulation are now widely accepted by countries around the world as being extremely beneficial to their development. This is based on the idea that a child‟s development can be modified and enhanced by the quality of their early environments and experiences. Some studies show that early childhood cognitive and socio-emotional development can strongly predict later school enrolment and life success. Failing to tap into this potential can result in as much as 20% decline in income over a lifetime which can have negative implications for national development35. The target for early childhood education should be areas of high crime, such as Belize City as a strategy for building more stable communities and the rural areas districts of Cayo, Orange Walk and Toledo face the biggest challenge in terms of new enrolments and will receive priority as outlined in the Education Sector Strategy. Currently Cayo, (31%), Toledo (30%) and Orange Walk (26%) Districts experience the lowest enrolments. The BNTF will:  Provide facilities to open pre-primary classes in primary schools located in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities;  Improve infrastructure in existing schools and build new schools where needed to increase preschool services. Strategy 2: Increase coverage and access to primary and secondary education. Population growth is considered in the coverage objectives of the Education Sector Strategy and as such additional classroom spaces at the primary and secondary level will need to be provided. The priority however should be on improving and providing facilities to rural areas or to schools that cater predominantly to children from rural areas. At the secondary level for instance, there is a marked variation in access across districts, with Belize District already having a GER of 78% compared to 45% in Toledo. In order to improve geographical equity at the secondary level, priority will be given to the districts and areas that are furthest from the target. Additionally, there are high schools in urban areas that cater to children mostly from low socio-economic backgrounds with low quality facilities. In carrying out BNTF interventions in the Education sector, greater attention will be paid to addressing issues of quality by supporting specific activities that contribute to this within the local school setting. BNTF will:  Provide facilities to increase the number of adequately equipped classrooms and sanitary facilities in target areas; 35 Yoshikawa et al., 2007. Early Childhood Education in Mexico: Expansion, Quality Improvement and Curriculum Reform, UNICEF Innocenti Research Center. 42  Provides facilities to establish and expand school feeding programmes in poorer areas to promote enrolment, participation, and the health of children.  Support primary school principals to develop intervention plans to address school repetition and drop-out and promote parental involvement through PTAs and other activities that addresses improvements in quality of education provided.

1.1.1 Youth Development and Employment Strategy 3: Provide training and income earning opportunities for youth outside of the formal system based on market demand. Given the high rate of drop outs at the secondary level especially among boy there is an urgent need to offer cost-effective, non-formal alternatives to encourage secondary enrolment among young people who are unable to study in the formal system. Until the persistent notion of ITVETS being a “last resort” for unsuccessful students is overcome, there is still a need to provide vocational training opportunities for many young people especially from rural areas. The BNTF is in a position to provide resources to innovative measures to fill this gap in the educational development and employment opportunities for young people. While it is important to continue working with ITVETS, there are a number of local NGOs that are successfully recruiting and training unattached youth and empowering them with marketable skills. BNTF will:  Partner with local organizations who are running successful vocational training programs to target low income students, and provide male youth with greater incentives to complete their training to reduce the gender gap.  Provide support for market-driven skills training ancillary training support geared towards enhanced incomes and entrepreneurship, including support related to trainers, course materials, tools, stipends, internships, apprenticeships, and course evaluation tools.

6.2.2 Rural Water Supply Strategy 4: Support national effort to achieve universal coverage of potable running water in Belize by 2015. Belize has seen significant health benefits by the high level of coverage of potable water in the country. Major water borne diseases have significantly declined and beneficiaries have consistently expressed satisfaction with the interventions and express considerable improvements in the quality of their lives. With significant investments already on-going to address the needs of communities in the Belize District that are currently without water, the BNTF will focus its 43 resources on the Toledo District and on those water systems in the Cayo District that may need to be upgraded. BNTF will:  Construct and expand rural water systems in the Toledo District;  Rehabilitate rural water systems in other rural communities.  Provide training in proper management of Water Systems.

6.3 TARGETING OF RESOURCES In order to contribute to addressing the sectoral issues and meet the strategic needs identified in the previous section, the targeting of BNTF7 funds was been conducted in accordance with the following: 1) Geographical distribution of poverty in Belize at the following levels: a. Urban/Rural poverty distribution as defined by 2010 Belize Country Poverty Assessment and 2010 Population and Housing Census was considered. Greater emphasis is being placed on rural areas of the country given their higher level of poverty. b. District poverty distribution as defined by 2010 Belize Country Poverty Assessment and 2010 Population and Housing Census. Consideration was given to the disparities between the six districts of the country. There are key districts including Toledo and Corozal that have disproportionate level of poverty compared to others. c. City/Town/Village Poverty Level as defined by the Statistical Institute of Belize 2011 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. (List of communities by poverty index is shown in Annex 2). Even with the districts there are differences in the level poverty and how poverty is experienced between the local cities, towns and villages. The segments with the greatest need were given priority through this process. It is important to note however that a strict geographic targeting is not necessarily possible given the disperse nature of the poor population in the country. Nonetheless, there are clear areas of greater need and this was done by going from the broad categories of urban vs. rural to districts and then to the smaller units of population settlements. 2) Sectoral demand for projects by project applicants to SIF: The SIF/BNTF maintains are register of project requests from local communities. These were analysed and selected on the basis that they: c. were requested within the last 5 years to keep the list relevant and manageable and d. fell within the eligibility criteria for the two target sectors of BNTF7. 44 It should be noted that tertiary level institutions and household level sanitation facilities are not eligible under BNTF7. Tertiary level institutions, from a sectoral targeting point of view, are not necessarily critical in meeting basic needs and addressing the immediate needs of the poor. This is not to say that it is not important however, there are likely to be greater returns to the poor from a focus on primary and secondary education. Projects having to do with drainage were also not considered as the Ministry of Works has indicated their desire to maintain these types of works under their direct responsibility. 3) Sector priorities as articulated by relevant Line Ministries. In the case of the MOE, the Education Sector Strategy 2011-2016 was employed. There has been a lot of effort to identify the main issues and strategic objectives within the education sector by the MOE so it was important to consider this and for BNTF 7 respond to them strategically. In identifying possible education projects, not only was the need for education facilities considered but also sector priorities such as investments addressing health and safety issues and early childhood development in underserved areas. In addition to this, current actions being undertaken by the MOE and other partners were also considered. 4) The specific design of sub-projects, will be determined at the time of the CNAA process and appraisal. The process of targeting outlined here including consideration for the general characteristics of the poor in Belize has developed an initial set of interventions with indicative sector allocations between Education & HRD and Water as shown in the Allocation Matrix below (Table 8.) The areas of interventions in the education sector were validated in interviews with District Education Managers at the various District Education Centres. 45 TABLE 8: ALLOCATION OF RESOURCE MATRIX SECTOR/TYPE/ Poverty Reduction Strategy PRSP MEASURES BNTF KEY PARTNERS % PRIORITY Paper (PRSP) INTERVENTIONS (plus EXPENDITURE/ AREAS Targets BENEFICIARIES) ALLOCATION (Grant and Country Allocation) NPESAP Strategic Thrust 3  Education Statistics.  Provide facilities to open pre-  Ministry of Education 82% (Investment for Human Capital  SIB Reports primary classes in primary  District Education ($8,600,000) EDUCATION Development):  EMIS Reports schools located in Centres  Primary school completion rates  DEC Annual Work socioeconomically  School Management of100% by 2015 Plans disadvantaged communities;  Parent-Teachers  Survival rates for secondary  Register of Schools  Improve infrastructure in Associations schools of 100% by 2015. . existing schools and build new schools where needed to NPESAP Strategic Thrust 4 increase preschool services. (Infrastructure for Growth and  Provide facilities to increase Sustainability): the number of adequately  Additional classrooms at the equipped classrooms and primary and secondary levels in sanitary facilities in target the areas of need as indicated by areas; poverty and school statistics and  Provides facilities to establish population. and expand school feeding programmes in poorer areas ESS Targets: to promote enrolment, Preschool - Reach 50% GER in participation, and the health both rural and urban areas of each of children. district (preschool)  Support Primary School Primary School - 100% NER in principals to develop both rural and urban areas of each intervention plans to address district. school repetition and drop-out - Repetition rate and promote parental reduced by 50% in all involvement through PTAs districts, with no increase in drop- and other activities that out rate. addresses improvements in Secondary School - Increase GER quality of education provided. to minimum of 74% in each district HUMAN NPESAP Strategic Thrust 1  Labour force  Partner with local Youth Enhancement 5% RESOURCE (Economic Policies for Enabled participation rates organizations to target low Services, Young ($538,000) DEVELOPMENT Growth):  GDP per capita of income students, and provide Women‟s Christian  Unemployment to levels employed labour force male youth with greater Association, 4H, ITVET comparable to other age groups. incentives to complete their (rural areas). (youth age group to be defined.) training to reduce the gender  Reduction in the youth gap. unemployment rate to the same  Provide support for market- levels of other age groups. driven skills training ancillary training support geared towards enhanced incomes and entrepreneurship.  Beneficiaries – Education & HRD – Male (13,360), Female (13,878), Youth (8,171). WATER AND NPESAP Strategic Thrust 4  Reports of local.  Construct and expand rural 13% SANITATION (Infrastructure for Growth and Government agencies. water systems in the Toledo ($1,400,000) Sustainability):  SIF assessments and District;  Increase in the number of reports.  Rehabilitate rural water villages and towns with access to  Specialized baseline systems in other rural potable water from rudimentary and evaluation communities. water systems or from BWSL in surveys.  Provide training in rural and urban areas in Belize. management of Water Systems.  Beneficiaries – Water & Sanitation – Male (686), Female (714), Youth (840) 47 7 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

7.1 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS The BNTF 7 Programme will be executed under the Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF). BSIF was established as a statutory agency in 1996 to execute community projects and increasing access of basic services to the country‟s poorest people. It is managed by a Board of Directors made up of government, private sector and civil society groups including those representing women and youth. Given the multi-faceted nature of poverty and the need for increased co-ordination of poverty reduction measures, BSIF undertook the management of BNTF in January 2002. The BSIF has the requisite capacity to implement the BNTF 7 programme. The execution of the project will be overseen by a Project Steering Committee chaired by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development which is the executing Ministry. Given that BNTF Programme in Belize is implemented by the BSIF, BSIF staff is allocated BNTF project responsibilities as part of their regular work activities. This provides the programme with a strong execution team given the wide range of expertise with BSIF staff. During the execution of sub-project activities independent architectural/engineering consultants, will be engaged by CDB to design/review designs of infrastructure sub-projects and to manage the implementation of approved works. The consultants will work in close collaboration with the project staff and interface with poor community groups and other sponsoring agencies at various stages of the sub-project cycle. While key line Ministries are on the Project Steering Committee that is not the limit of Ministry involvement in the project. To ensure that the project is aligned and contributing to line Ministry policy objectives, technical personnel from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Rural Development they will be engaged in determining specific areas for BNTF interventions at the community level while ensuring contributions to sector strategies and programmes. All BNTF sub-projects will require the endorsement of relevant line Ministries. Communities will not be involved only as sub-project beneficiaries but will be actively involved in determined the type and scope of the interventions. As such they will be involved in the design of sub-projects through community needs and assets assessments (CNAA) as well as during implementation to monitor sub-project activities. During the CNAA process, community members will be empowered to assess their own needs and articulate possible options to address those needs. They will be directly involved in ensuring that the sub-project meets their needs within the specific sectors and how they will participate in implementation. All members of communities will be encouraged to participate with specific emphasis placed on women and youth participation. Each sub-project will also have a Project Monitoring Committee at the site level and they will assist in developing maintenance plans to ensure the sustainability of the interventions.

7.2 RISKS There are a number of risks that can affect the implementation of the project. These risks include strategic risks, financial risks, and operational risks. Strategic Risks: Strategic risks include political considerations both at the organizational and national government level. Potential risks include: a. Cabinet Reshuffle results in a change of political and executive leadership of the executing Ministry and affecting the focus of BNTF. Mitigating measure: Ensure CEO of relevant Ministry and Chair of PSC is kept fully informed on status and progress of project execution. b. General Elections are called within the timeframe of the project affecting the focus and efficiency of BNTF. Mitigating measure: Ensure CEO of relevant Ministry and Chair of PSC is kept fully informed on status and progress of project execution. Project Manager and CEO of relevant Ministry jointly address incoming Minister responsible for the program. Financial Risks: Some of the risks are financial in nature. Realizing any of these risks can have a severe impact on the project. a. Operational Funding for BNTF is curtailed or not adequately addressed in government budgetary allocations. Mitigating Measure: Minimize operational expenses while maximizing operational efficiencies as a cost saving measure. b. GOB is unable to provide counterpart funding as agreed. Mitigating Measure: Continue to collaborate closely with GOB and Line Ministry in terms of sub-project selection and endorsement, and preparation of annual budget. Operational Risks: Operations risks have to do with the capacity of the BNTFO to deliver the project outputs. a. High rate of BNTF staff turnover. Mitigating Measure: Provide structured orientation & training to all staff members especially incoming ones. Ensure proper project & process documentation by all staff members. Ensure that departing staff complete and submit handing-over process & notes. Ensure an efficient recruiting system based on merit and qualifications. b. BNTFO staff capacity constraints due to volume of work. Mitigating Measure: Engage consultants earlier in SP implementation to provide services from design stage. c. Poor and improper execution of sub-projects. 49 Mitigating Measure: Conduct comprehensive appraisal process for sub-projects. Adhere to procurement procedures and ensure proper contract management. Incorporate best practices & lessons learnt into subprojects. Provide in-house training for continuous professional development in project management. Continued annual operations audit of BSIF. Hold regular meetings with Line Ministry technicians to review progress of subprojects outside of PSC meetings. d. Backlog of subprojects develops due to lagging execution. Mitigating Measure: Ensure AWPs are adequately prepared. Account for seasonal weather conditions in preparing AWPs and subproject designs. Keep all relevant parties informed on any subproject changes. Promptly address all changes required including approvals and procurement aspects. 50 8 RESULTS FRAMEWORK The overall Goal of the BNTF Programme is to contribute to improvement in living conditions of selected poor and vulnerable communities in participating BNTF member countries. Its Purpose is to ensure improved access to quality education, water and sanitation, transportation; and human resource development services. The BNTF Project in Belize is expected to contribute to these overarching development results as well those of the country‟s national development frameworks within the relevant sectors. The indicative results framework for the project is shown in the Table 9 below. 51 TABLE 9: INDICATIVE RESULTS FRAMEWORK FOR BNTF 7 Expected Results Indicators Baseline Data Source Reports/Frequency Responsibility Impact:  Percentage of  43% living below  LSMS  Poverty  Ministry of Finance Improvement in the population below poverty line.  Poverty Maps Assessments and Economic living conditions of poverty line by sex  12.1%  Statistical Reports  10 year housing and Development poor and vulnerable  Housing Quality unemployment rate population census  Statistical Institute communities in Index of Belize Belize.  Unemployment rates by sex Outcomes Component 1  School (Education):  Preschool Unit  Annually Management a. Expanded access  Gross enrolment  25% pre-school Reports  Principals to pre-school rate by sex enrolment (4-yr.  DEC Annual Work  MOE – Policy and education in rural olds) plans Planning Unit areas.  Register of Schools  Statistical Institute of Belize b. Increased  Net enrolment rate  94.2% net  DEC Annual Work enrolment and by sex enrolment at plans completion at  PSE Score by sex primary level.  Education primary level.  Repetition rate by  33% of students Statistical Digest sex score 50% or less  PSE Scores Reports on PSE.  7.5% repetition rate are primary level c. Expanded access  48.9% net  DEC Annual Work and increased enrolment at plans completion rates  Net enrolment rate secondary level.  Education at the secondary by sex  Net completion rate Statistical Digest level in rural  Net completion rate and Dropout rate to areas. by sex be established at  Dropout rate by sex start of project. Component 2 (HRD): a. Increased  Percentage of  To be established at  Labour Force  Monthly  Statistical Institute enrolment of trainees gainfully start of sub-project. Survey  Annual of Belize youth in employed after  30% youth  SPCR  ETES technical and completing training unemployment  ETES Reports  BNTFO vocational by sex nationally  Tracer studies training programmes. Component 3 (Water):  Percentage of rural  90% rural  MDG reports  Annually  UNDP Belize 1. Increased use of communities with communities have  MLLGRD reports  Quarterly  MLLGRD potable water by access to potable access to potable  SPCRs  BNTFO rural households water water. from well- managed water systems. Outputs Education:  Number of  To be determined  DEC Annual Work  Annually  MOE-Policy and 1. New/upgraded classrooms built or by on-going Plans  Quarterly Planning Unit quality education upgraded. education  Register of Schools  DECs facilities meeting infrastructure  SPCRs  BNTFO acceptable master plan criteria. mapping exercise HRD: 2. Trainees  Number of courses  To be determined at  SPMRs  Monthly  BNTFO participating in provided. start of project.  SPCRs  PMCs skills training  Participants in  PMC Reports courses. training courses by sex Water:  Number of rural  To be established in  SPMRs  Monthly  BNTFO 3. Water systems households targeted community  SPCRs  MLLGRD 53 constructed and connected to water at start of sub-  PMC Reports  PMCs rehabilitated with system project. households connected to system. 54

ANNEX 1 - SCHEMATIC OF APPROACH TO DEVELOPING THE PRAP BNTF PRAP TARGETING STRATEGIC COMMUNITY ALIGNMENT DEMAND Characteristics National Subproject Frameworks Requests Geographic Sectoral Stakeholder Frameworks Interviews/ Consultation Sectoral Partnerships

ANNEX 2 - Classification of Major Cities, Towns And Villages In Belize, 2010 District Rank CITY / TOWN / VILLAGE WEALTH INDEX QUINTILES SCORE COROZAL 6 COROZAL TOWN .6437591 4 8 ALTA MIRA .5790832 4 103 BUENA VISTA -.3587505 2 20 CALCUTTA .3979469 3 124 CALEDONIA -.5383208 2 22 CAROLINA .3796982 3 133 CHAN CHEN -.6321793 2 107 CHUNOX -.3697112 2 131 CONCEPCION -.6151253 2 29 CONSEJO .3000028 4 102 COPPER BANK -.3568810 2 87 CRISTO REY -.2162460 2 59 LIBERTAD -.0149783 3 167 LITTLE BELIZE -1.1471894 1 80 LOUISVILLE -.1924424 3 43 PARAISO .1154444 3 135 PATCHAKAN -.6403470 2 89 PROGRESO -.2325623 2 42 RANCHITO .1207242 3 32 SAN ANDRES .2630002 3 37 SAN ANTONIO .2068704 4 39 SAN JOAQUIN .1634298 3 113 SAN NARCISO -.4129621 2 100 SAN PEDRO -.3349799 2 95 SAN ROMAN -.2704621 2 149 SAN VICTOR -.8754872 1 99 SANTA CLARA -.3311655 2 34 SARTENEJA .2227022 3 125 XAIBE -.5472443 2 74 OTHER -.1199516 3 ORANGE WALK 7 ORANGE WALK TOWN .6042270 4 128 AUGUST PINE RIDGE -.5837509 2 4 BLUE CREEK .6908001 4 56 101 CARMELITA -.3511561 2 40 CHAN PINE RIDGE .1341572 3 26 CUATRO LEGUAS .3276201 3 119 DOUGLAS -.4957579 2 189 FIRE BURN -1.5271397 1 109 GUINEA GRASS -.3818167 2 143 INDIAN CHURCH -.7591545 2 162 INDIAN CREEK -1.0226944 1 86 SAN ANTONIO -.2152530 2 169 SAN CARLOS -1.1646150 1 53 SAN ESTEVAN .0301344 3 92 SAN FELIPE -.2358427 2 129 SAN JOSE -.6140748 2 48 SAN JOSE PALMAR .0633990 3 93 SAN JUAN -.2461117 2 57 SAN LAZARO -.0100758 3 2 SAN LORENZO .8591329 4 183 SAN LUIS -1.4535374 1 106 SAN PABLO -.3694457 2 151 SAN ROMAN -.8820412 1 126 SANTA CRUZ -.5561788 2 180 SANTA MARTA -1.3706255 1 158 SHIPYARD -.9799900 1 55 TOWER HILL .0186619 3 11 TRES LEGUAS .5571859 4 68 TRIAL FARM -.0859497 3 84 TRINIDAD -.2115561 2 47 YO CREEK .0702111 3 85 OTHER -.2147843 2 BELIZE 10 BELIZE CITY .5613782 4 13 SAN PEDRO, A.C. .5070678 4 51 BERMUDIAN LANDING .0456549 3 60 BISCAYNE -.0286017 3 164 BOMBA -1.0673472 1 65 BOSTON -.0638076 3 12 BURRELL BOOM .5075500 4 35 CAYE CAULKER .2192186 3 36 CROOKED TREE .2097406 4 62 DOUBLE HEAD CABBAGE -.0377184 3 130 FLOWERS BANK -.6142286 2 57 41 FREETOWN SIBUN .1300736 3 117 GALES POINT -.4441461 2 61 GARDENIA -.0320170 3 118 GRACIE ROCK -.4905884 2 19 HATTIEVILLE .4285368 4 50 ISABELLA BANK .0466033 3 105 LA DEMOCRACIA -.3674392 2 5 LADYVILLE .6689924 4 114 LEMONAL -.4260051 2 9 LORDS BANK .5747872 4 1 LOS LAGOS 1.0268209 5 49 LUCKY STRIKE .0502755 3 23 MAHOGANY HEIGHTS .3459115 3 56 MASKALL .0157132 3 94 RANCHO DOLORES -.2656207 2 115 ROCKSTONE POND -.4313285 2 21 SAND HILL .3822626 4 97 SANTANA -.3145884 2 81 SCOTLAND HALFMOON -.1949584 2 77 ST. PAUL'S BANK -.1656368 3 3 WESTERN PARADISE .7494512 4 73 WILLOWS BANK -.1180597 3 137 OTHER -.6539152 1 CAYO 28 BELMOPAN .3059012 4 38 BENQUE VIEJO .2021487 3 15 SAN IGNACIO .4819212 4 24 SANTA ELENA .3407012 4 187 ARENAL -1.5128299 1 170 ARMENIA -1.1800433 1 156 BILLY WHITE -.9476337 2 69 BLACKMAN EDDY -.0897939 2 165 BUENA VISTA -1.0925084 1 83 BULLET TREE FALLS -.1984406 2 154 CALLA CREEK -.9429556 2 64 CAMALOTE -.0509147 3 45 CENTRAL FARM .1115393 3 134 COTTON TREE -.6330869 2 78 CRISTO REY -.1674396 3 121 DUCK RUN 1 -.5253376 2 76 DUCK RUN 2 -.1555758 2 58 138 DUCK RUN 3 -.6659845 2 58 ESPERANZA -.0147672 3 147 FRANK'S EDDY -.8566857 1 91 GEORGEVILLE -.2355782 2 197 LA GRACIA -1.7952288 1 178 LOS TAMBOS -1.3275119 1 194 LOWER BARTON CREEK -1.5660798 1 181 MORE TOMORROW -1.3893530 1 52 ONTARIO .0378211 3 116 PASLOW FALLS -.4379313 2 141 RINGTAIL -.7485519 2 27 ROARING CREEK .3256018 4 96 SAN ANTONIO -.2840181 2 66 SAN JOSE SUCCOTZ -.0781049 3 90 SANTA FAMILIA -.2333324 2 152 SANTA MARTA -.9115445 2 172 SELENA -1.1844583 1 174 SEVEN MILES -1.2649977 1 44 SPANISH LOOKOUT .1131754 3 185 SPRINGFIELD -1.4914226 1 75 ST. MATTHEWS -.1309807 3 98 TEAKETTLE -.3274139 2 67 UNITEDVILLE -.0824750 3 191 UPPER BARTON CREEK -1.5422929 1 160 VALLEY OF PEACE -1.0040419 1 132 OTHER -.6236149 2 STANN CREEK 25 DANGRIGA TOWN .3341223 3 72 ALTA VISTA -.1062059 3 168 COW PEN -1.1578540 1 112 GEORGETOWN -.3967858 2 46 HOPE CREEK .0935862 3 16 HOPKINS .4425764 4 153 HUMMINGBIRD COMMUNITY -.9295970 1 33 INDEPENDENCE .2550787 3 142 KENDALL -.7552272 1 104 LONG BANK -.3635083 2 18 MAYA BEACH .4367290 4 144 MAYA CENTRE -.7982748 1 173 MAYA MOPAN -1.2375123 1 145 MIDDLESEX -.8181806 2 59 159 MULLINS RIVER -.9808197 1 17 PLACENCIA .4424806 4 63 POMONA -.0507233 3 192 RED BANK -1.5437303 1 111 RIVERSDALE -.3906614 2 54 SAN JUAN .0243151 3 175 SAN ROMAN -1.2866969 1 139 SANTA CRUZ -.6860757 2 157 SANTA ROSA -.9567959 2 71 SARAWEE -.1059438 2 70 SEINE BIGHT -.0916401 3 108 SILK GRASS -.3708464 2 31 SITTEE RIVER .2677578 3 150 SOUTH STANN CREEK -.8777298 1 122 STEADFAST -.5256926 2 88 VALLEY COMMUNITY -.2276789 2 123 OTHER -.5380802 2 TOLEDO 30 PUNTA GORDA TOWN .2950552 3 206 AGUACATE -2.0154827 1 148 BARRANCO -.8727974 1 155 BELLA VISTA -.9462012 2 146 BIG FALLS -.8370928 2 201 BLADEN -1.9269893 1 177 BLUE CREEK -1.3121541 1 14 CATTLE LANDING .4859156 4 219 CONEJO -2.3691750 1 211 CORAZON -2.1290668 1 176 CRIQUE JUTE -1.2995048 1 210 CRIQUE SARCO -2.1042834 1 221 DOLORES -2.3932416 1 110 DUMP -.3829982 2 127 ELRIDGE -.5659622 2 82 FOREST HOME -.1950522 3 200 GOLDEN STREAM -1.8828338 1 204 HICATTEE-S/HWY -1.9583452 1 196 INDIAN CREEK -1.7805037 1 120 JACINTO/WESTMORELAND -.5185779 2 216 JALACTE -2.2842841 1 193 LAGUNA -1.5529231 1 140 MAFREDI -.7189908 2 60 161 MANGO WALK -1.0191139 1 212 MEDINA BANK -2.2169729 1 199 MIDWAY -1.8544797 1 79 MONKEY RIVER -.1752020 3 220 OTOXHA -2.3927460 1 195 PINE HILL -1.6820508 1 205 PUEBLO VIEJO -1.9962119 1 190 SAN ANTONIO -1.5390469 1 213 SAN BENITO POITE -2.2615602 1 182 SAN FELIPE -1.4083530 1 202 SAN ISIDRO -1.9335402 1 198 SAN JOSE -1.8484868 1 218 SAN LUCAS -2.3223131 1 203 SAN MARCOS -1.9366164 1 163 SAN MIGUEL -1.0610238 1 209 SAN PABLO -2.1005100 1 171 SAN PEDRO COLUMBIA -1.1836339 1 207 SAN VICENTE -2.0604844 1 184 SANTA ANA -1.4805246 1 215 SANTA CRUZ -2.2785141 1 208 SANTA ELENA -2.0924226 1 214 SANTA TERESA -2.2674631 1 166 SILVER CREEK -1.1138581 1 217 SUNDAY WOOD -2.3012585 1 186 SWASEY -1.4920846 1 188 TRIO -1.5262824 1 136 YEMERY GROVE -.6523723 2 179 OTHER -1.3661773 1 61