Data from this publication may be reproduced with acknowledgement from source.

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Department of Economic Planning and Statistics South Base, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands British West Indies

Telephone: (649) 946-2801 Fax: (649) 946-2557

E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] Website: www.depstc.org

December, 2006

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i

FOREWORD

The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is committed to observing international obligations. In that regard, all of the important guidelines set by the United Nations (UN) elicit the attention of the Government. In the year 2000, the international community identified and committed itself to 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 18 targets, and 48 indicators to be fulfilled by 2015. TCI has therefore adopted these goals, therefore, which now inform policy. The Statistical Office of the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics (DEPS) is officially releasing this report on the status on these goals, five years after the signing of the Millennium Declaration, which is covered in the subsequent chapters.

The TCI has made some strides in implementing the measurement, monitoring and delivery of some of the indicators. Of the 48 indicators, 29 are currently measured and monitored in an attempt to evaluate the status of the country in respect of the achievement of the 8 Goals. In many cases, measurement is not possible, largely due to the unavailability of data in some areas, the only data sources are occasional surveys or the census. In the cases where measurement is possible, monitoring is much simpler and the results reported are much more reliable.

Examples of areas where significant improvements in the measurement were achieved include Indicators 6 and 7 and Targets 5 and 6. Goals 4 (Reduce Child Mortality) and Goal 5 (Improve Maternal Health) are completely measured and have already been attained. Several other indicators, such as Indicator 8 (Literacy rate of 15 to 24 year-olds), still present some problems in measurement and monitoring, hence reporting on the performance on Target 3 and Goal 2 is adversely affected.

Support is needed mainly in building the capacity to measure these indicators: thus, in a number of cases no data are available to report on the various indicators. The main problem faced in reporting on the performance of the TCI on the MDGs, appears to be in deciding how to measure these targets and to set up an accountability mechanism to deliver on the set targets. Another challenge faced, is the applicability and relevance of some of these indicators to small-island states such as the TCI, thus demonstrating the need to customize some of these indicators to better suit the country. As a result of the above challenges, and the call by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and other regional and international organisations, the TCI has formed a National Social Indicators and Millennium Development Goals (SIMDG) Committee to deploy the means at hand in order to make good on the promises of these simple, but powerful, objectives which are the blueprint for achieving the desired end-goal by 2015. Moreover, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has been collaborating with other agencies in the development of Caribbean specific targets and indicators that would be more useful in monitoring developments in the region.

The MDGs provide an internationally recognized benchmark against which the TCI can measure its socio-economic development progress. Furthermore, as part of the TCI Ten Year National Development Plan (NDP), the government is considering country-specific development goals with the MDGs being factored in as part of the NDP and being the point of departure for the achievement of these national goals. In general, the TCI is well on its way to the realization of the MDGs, and in fulfilling its international obligations in that regard. On the other hand, the rapid influx of immigrants from abroad, could stretch the limits of its resources in sustaining a path to improved provision on the MDGs.

DELTON B. JONES Chief Economist & Head of Department Department of Economic Planning & Statistics

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Statistical Office of the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics would like to acknowledge the contribution of the following persons and offices/departments that have, in one way or another (whether they were the collection source or facilitated the submission of the required data and information) aided the successful compilation and presentation of “MDGs Status Report, 2005…Five Years After”. The substantive contribution of the staff of the Statistical Office cannot go unmentioned for their dedicated effort expended in compiling the data and preparing the report.

Dr. Rufus Ewing

Director of Health Services Ministry of Health

Nurse Mary Forbes Chief Nursing Officer Ministry of Health Ms. Juneth Reynolds

Medical Records Manager Medical Records Department Grand Turk Hospital

Mr. Richard Robinson Education Planner Ministry of Education

Nurse Jackurlyn Sutton Primary Health Care Manager Primary Health Care Department

Ms. Deborah Astwood Registrar

Turks and Caicos Islands Community College Mrs. Cheryl-Ann Jones

National AIDS Coordinator National AIDS Programme

Ms. Ruth Blackman Cabinet Secretary House of Assembly Mrs. May Batas

Deputy Chief Statistician

Department of Economic Planning and Statistics

Mr. Delton Jones

Chief Economist and Head of Department Department of Economic Planning and Statistics Ms. Leila Viriña

Statistical Programmer/Analyst

Department of Economic Planning and Statistics

Ms. Tashema Bholanath Statistician

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iii

NOTES, SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Section Notes

This “MDGs Status Report, 2005…Five Years After” presents relevant data and information for the period 2000-2005 for the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is the first report on the various indicators, targets and goals used to highlight the TCI’s status on the MDGs and to present statistics and basic descriptive analyses that are non-technical.

There are eight (8) main sections in this report. Each section covers a separate MDG. The sections are: Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger, Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education, Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women, Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality, Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health, Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Diseases, Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability, and Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development. Most of these sections have tables with data disaggregated by sex and some have illustrative charts and maps for graphical representations of these indicators and to convey what can be generalized from the data. The tables which have derived indicators are accompanied by statements of how the indicators are calculated and defined (found in the glossary); the source of the data; and in most cases, even brief modules of text as descriptive analyses of the derived indicators and how they can be interpreted. In addition, there is a section on Highlights, Background, Glossary, and Appendix to supplement the core sections.

Sources of Data

Statistics and indicators have been compiled for MDGs Status Report, 2005…Five Years After mainly from official administrative records and databases of various government departments, as these are more authoritative and comprehensive, more generally available as time series and hence foster monitoring and comparability from year to year. In some cases, the official source was data directly obtained from the 2001 Population and Housing Census or estimates based on this. However, the data contained in this report are themselves subject to future revision.

Statistical Abbreviations and Conventions

A hyphen (–) between years, for example, 2000–2005, indicates the full period involved, including the beginning and end years; a slash (/) indicates a academic year or financial year, for example 2004/05. The unit used for the data, in most cases, is number, unless otherwise specified. Reference to “dollars” ($) indicates United States (US) dollars. Details and percentages in tables do not necessarily add to totals on account of rounding.

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The following symbols and abbreviations have been used in the text and tables:

… Not Available % Percent € Euros

AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ARV Antiretroviral

BNTF Basic Needs Trust Fund

CAREC Caribbean Epidemiology Centre CARICOM Caribbean Community CDB Caribbean Development Bank CFC Chlorofluorocarbons

CSME Caribbean Single Market and Economy

DECR Department of Environment and Coastal Resources DEPS Department of Economic Planning and Statistics EC European Commission

EDF European Development Fund EPA Economic Partnership Agreement ESC Economic and Social Council EU European Union

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FGT Foster, Greer, Thorbeke

GDP Gross Domestic Product

GIS Government Information System HH Household

HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus IDB Inter-American Development Bank IEA International Energy Agency ILO International Labour Organization IMR Infant Mortality Rate

IMF International Monetary Fund IPU Inter-Parliamentary Union

ITU International Telecommunication Union kg kilograms

km kilometer

LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas

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ix

NDP National Development Plan No. Number

OCTA Association of Overseas Countries and Territories of the EU ODP Ozone-Depleting Potential

OECD Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development OTEP Overseas Territory Environment Programme

PAHO Pan American Health Organization PC Personal Computer

PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper

SIMDG Social Indicators and Millennium Development Goals SLC Standard of Living Assessment

STI Sexually Transmitted Infections TCI Turks and Caicos Islands U-5MR Under-Five Mortality Rate UK United Kingdom UN United Nations

UNDG United Nations Development Group UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Programme

UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNGASS United Nations General Assembly Special Session UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund

UNSD United Nations Statistics Division VCT Voluntary Counseling and Testing WB World Bank

WCMC World Conservation Monitoring Center WHO World Health Organization

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HIGHLIGHTS

The following provides a summary of status of the various Goals, Targets, and Indicators.

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Status: The 1999 poverty assessment estimated that the proportion of persons living on income below the poverty line was 25.9%; the severity of poverty measured by the Foster, Greer, Thorbeke (FGT) index was 2.6%; the Gini coefficient was 0.37; and poverty gap ratio, 5.7%. No updated data are available. Data on the prevalence of underweight children and on the proportion of population below minimum level of dietary energy consumption were also not available.

Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

Status: Net enrolment ratio in primary education was 84.37% as early as 1998/99. The proportion of pupils starting grade 1 who reach grade 5 increased from 86.58% in 1998/99 to 98% in 2005/06. The literacy rate of 15-24 year-olds in 2001 was estimated at 95.12%.

Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Status: The ratio of girls to boys in primary school was 101:100 in 1998/99 and 98:100 in 2005/06; the ratio of girls to boys in secondary school was 104:100 in 1998/99 and 91:100 in 2005/06; at the tertiary level, the ratio of girls to boys in tertiary education was 302:100 in 2003. The ratio of literate women to men, 15-24 years old was estimated in 2001 as 0.98. Women are still significantly under-represented in key decision-making positions in public life and leadership, although significant strides have been made in the last five years – the proportion of seats held by women in national parliament was 15.79% in 2000 and 21.05% in 2005. The share of women in paid employment in the non-agricultural sector was 41.96% in 2002 and increased to 42.73% in 2005.

Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

Status: Under-five mortality rate reduced from 20.7 per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 3.1 in 2005; infant mortality rate decreased from 6.9 per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 3.1 in 2005. Widespread immunization programmes are needed if the TCI is to achieve 100% coverage for immunization against measles – it was reported that 49.13% of 1 year-old children were immunized against measles in 2005.

Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

Status: In past years, there have been no maternal deaths and hence maternal mortality ratio was 0; and almost 100% of births were performed by skilled personnel except for approximately 1% of the births which were “born before arrival”.

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Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

Status: Condom use at last high-risk sex was reported to be 63% in a 2003 survey. Prevalence of malaria cases in 2000 was 9.57 per 1,000 and reduced to 0 by 2005; prevalence of tuberculosis cases was 10.82 in 2000, 27.84 in 2003, but reduced to 16.34 in 2005; no cases of malaria or dengue were reported between 1998 and 2000 (PAHO); during the period 1996-2000, there was one death and 28 hospitalisations due to TB.

Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Status: 79.1% of the TCI is forested. The proportion of protected marine is 10.29% of the total marine area. Hydrocarbon fuels are the main sources of energy used. According to the 2001 Population and Housing Census 3.0% of the total households used wood/coal as their cooking energy source. The majority of households either use LPG fuel (44.3%) or electricity as their cooking energy source. No data are collected for the TCI on energy use per unit GDP and on carbon dioxide emissions. According to the 2001 Population Census, 95.74% of the total households have access to improved water source (21.9% of households have piped water into their dwelling; 67.9% of the total household receive water through the private catchment source; and 6.0% access water through public wells/tanks). The Census also showed that 95.86% of the total households have access to adequate sanitation. However, this includes 27.6% of households having pit latrines, which is not always considered to be an adequate excreta waste disposal system in the Caribbean because of poor maintenance.

Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

Status: Unemployment rate for young people aged 15-24 years (both sexes) was 18.4% in 2001 according to the Population and Housing Census; telephone line and cellular subscribers per 100 population increased from 35 in 1998 to 105 in 2005.

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TCI Millennium Development Goals 2005 Progress Chart

Goal 1 | Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Reduce extreme poverty by half Very low poverty

Reduce hunger by half ---

Goal 2 | Achieve universal primary education

Universal primary schooling very high enrolment

Goal 3 | Promote gender equality and empower women

Equal girl's enrolment in primary school high enrolment

Women's share of paid employment medium share

Women's equal representation in national parliaments low representation

Goal 4 | Reduce child mortality

Reduce mortality of under-five-year-olds by two thirds very low mortality

Measles immunization moderate coverage

Goal 5 | Improve maternal health

Reduce maternal mortality by three quarters* very low mortality

Goal 6 | Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Halt and reverse spread of HIV/AIDS very low prevalence

Halt and reverse spread of malaria very low risk

Halt and reverse spread of tuberculosis very low mortality

Goal 7 | Ensure environmental sustainability

Reverse loss of forests high forest cover

Halve proportion without improved drinking water very high coverage

Halve proportion without sanitation high coverage

Improve the lives of slum-dwellers*

very low proportion of slum dwellers

Goal 8 | Develop a global partnership for development

Youth unemployment low unemployment

Internet users high access

*Analysis was only based on the 2001 Population and Housing Census

Legend

Insufficient data

No progress, or a deterioration or reversal

Target is not expected to be met by 2015, if prevailing trends persist

Target is expected to be met by 2015 if prevailing trends persist Target already met or very close to being met

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BACKGROUND

At the Millennium Summit in September 2000, 147 Heads of State and Government, and 189 nations in total adopted a declaration, also known as the Millennium Declaration of 2000, which synthesized the priorities of the international agenda and reflected the commitments that had been painstakingly negotiated during the previous decade of world conferences. The objective of the Declaration1 is: “a comprehensive approach and a coordinated strategy, tackling many problems simultaneously across a broad front”. A framework of 8 goals, 18 targets and 48 indicators (see Appendix 1) to measure progress towards the Millennium Development Goals was adopted by a consensus of experts from the United Nations (UN) Secretariat, as well as representatives from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the World Bank (WB). This Declaration and the 8 goals or the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) it identified, have become a road map for tackling poverty, instability, HIV/AIDS, gender inequality, violence and sustainable development in virtually all parts of the world. This also recognizes the central challenges that all societies have to confront, including the generation of sustainable economic growth and the equitable distribution of the benefits of that growth, establishing stable institutional conditions, ensuring the quality, efficiency, and transparency of government systems, defining and implementing policies to promote investment and reduce poverty, and being open to the rest of the world.1 Furthermore, this illustrates and guides to help find solutions on the social ills the society is facing through the goals and targets and the means in order for them to be attainable. The following means are associated with these goals: mobilization of international and domestic resources; design and execution of programmes and policies to follow internationally agreed-upon guidelines; creation or strengthening of national capacities; and definition of partnerships within the nation (between governmental and nongovernmental actors) and internationally.2 It is believed that full attainment of the MDGs will only be possible through international cooperation or substantial support from the developed countries in the form of aid, trade, debt relief, and investment. This was established during the International Conference on Financing for Development which was held in Monterrey, Mexico in March 2002.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set targets for progress in 8 areas: poverty and hunger, primary education, women’s equality, child mortality, maternal health, disease, environment and a global partnership for development.3 These goals are composed of targets and indicators which are expected to have considerable improvements by 2015 (see Appendix 2). The baseline for the assessment of progress is 1990 for most of the MDG targets. Achievement of these goals through sustainable economic

1_{United Nations Millennium Declaration [A/RES/55/2]}

2_{Inter-American Development Bank (2005).}_{The Millennium Development Goals in Latin America and the Caribbean: Progress,}

Priorities and IDB Support for Their Implementation. Washington, D. C. http://idbdocs.iadb.org/wsdocs/getdocument.aspx?docnum=591088 (accessed December, 2006)

3_{UN (2004). Implementing the Millennium Declaration. Fact Sheet.}_{UN Finds Progress on World’s Anti-Poverty Goals, but Crisis}

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growth is therefore a recognized challenge for industrialized and developing countries. Meanwhile, the United Nations is assisting and coordinating MDG campaigns and country-monitoring activities in order to reach the goals. According to the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi A. Annan, "We will have time to reach the Millennium Development Goals – worldwide and in most, or even all, individual countries – but only if we break with business as usual. We cannot win overnight. Success will require sustained action across the entire decade between now and the deadline. It takes time to train the teachers, nurses and engineers; to build the roads, schools and hospitals; to grow the small and large businesses able to create the jobs and income needed. So we must start now. And we must more than double global development assistance over the next few years. Nothing less will help to achieve the Goals."4

The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is one of the countries that recognizes the MDGs. During the period June 23 – 27, 2003, the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics hosted officials of the Statistics Programme of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)’s who visited the TCI in connection with the commencement of the process of establishing the Social Indicators and Millennium Development Goals (SIMDG) Committees in the CARICOM Member States. This is a joint project between the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD) and CARICOM. Supporting organizations include the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) sub-regional offices with other organizations also collaborating in the effort. The meeting was attended by different TCI government agencies or departments. During the meeting, formation of the SIMDG Committee which will assess and measure the current social status and set targets and objectives in the many spheres, such as those set by countries under the umbrella of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), for the future so as to improve the quality of information and to feed into the programme at the national and regional levels was proposed by the CARICOM representatives.

In November, 2005, the SIMDG Committee was formed in the TCI after obtaining approval from the Executive Council. The Committee composed of 28 officials from various local government departments and aims to collect, compile, analyze and disseminate reliable and timely statistics and indicators on a sustained basis and achieving the MDGs. Thus, it is a major role of the Committee to improve the data collection and monitoring systems and update the necessary statistics as inputs for the MDGs. It can be noted that unavailability and lack of updated data, are some limitations of the TCI MDGs Status Report, 2005…Five Years After.

The TCI MDGs Status Report, 2005… Five Years After shows the status of the country based on indicators in each goal or area in attaining the MDGs which will serve as a benchmark for analysis and identification of challenges and obstacles necessary for policy reforms, institutional change, and resource allocation in general. It also provides some reflection priorities in order to sustain the country’s economic growth for the period to 2015 and beyond.

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“The report, released November 22 by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), says that if each of the world's developing regions continue to reduce hunger at the current pace, only Latin America and the Caribbean will reach the first goal of eight U.N. millennium development targets that calls for cutting by 50 percent the proportion of hungry people in the world.“ (U.N. report documents region's success in reducing hunger, child mortality, International Information Programs, News from Washington, 22 November 2005).

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1

GOAL 1: ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY AND HUNGER

TARGET 1: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day

Indicator 1A: Poverty Headcount Ratio (World Bank)

This is the percentage of the population below the national poverty line. The indicator allows for monitoring the proportion of the national population that is considered poor by a national standard. National poverty lines tend to increase in purchasing power with the average level of income of a country. While the one dollar a day poverty line helps in making international comparisons, national poverty lines are used to make more accurate estimates of

poverty consistent with the characteristics and level of development of each country. The disadvantage is that there is no universally agreed poverty line, even in principle, and international comparisons are not feasible. Extreme poverty in this goal is measured in monetary terms against a threshold of roughly one dollar per day, standardized across countries for comparable purchasing power. This is considered to be the monetary equivalent of the minimum a person needs to survive.5

Poverty Level

To ensure comparability with other studies that have been conducted on poverty, the definitions used in the 1999 Poverty Assessment – the only one every conducted for the TCI – are standard in the literature. A minimalist definition of poverty relates it to a deficiency of resources. The World Development Report 1990 notes that ‘poverty is the inability to maintain a minimal standard of living.’6 Where that standard relates to food needs that are unmet, an individual or household is deemed to be indigent. Minimum requirements for existence and survival are not being met. Poverty embraces this, but includes some imputation for non-food requirements. The poor fail to meet these other requirements, but may not necessarily be indigent. However, the indigent fail on both counts.

5_{United Nations (2004). Progress Towards the Millennium Development Goals, 1990 – 2003.}_{Goal 1 –Eradicate Extreme Poverty}

and Hunger. Statistics Division Internet Site http://millenniumindicators.un.org (accessed September, 2004). p. 1.

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The 1999 Standard of Living Conditions (SLC) Assessment revealed that 25.9% of all individuals in the TCI were poor. This means that their annual expenditure was less than the cost of meeting their minimal food and other basic requirements or less than US$2,424 (national poverty line – where $879.65 was the indigence line and $1,544.12 was the per capita non-food expenditure of the two poorest quintiles). These individuals comprised 18.3% of the total number of households in the country.

The Foster, Greer, Thorbeke (FGT), which measures of the severity of poverty, is a more refined and sensitive measure of the differences among persons below the poverty line and the distribution of these persons. In other words, it is the proportion of the poor who are very poor relatively to the mildly poor. The TCI recorded a 2.6% as the FGT. In addition, the Gini Ratio or Index, which measures the inequality in the distribution of income in the population, was estimated as 0.37 in 1999. The Gini Ratio ranges from 0 to 1, and therefore, given that the ratio for the TCI is relatively low this indicates that the distribution of expenditure is less skewed.

Indigence

At the same time, 3.2% of all individuals in the country were found to be extremely poor or indigent, among the lowest in the Caribbean. This means that their annual expenditures were less than the cost of

satisfying their minimal food requirements and other basic requirements. This amounted to a minimum of $880 per annum or $2.41 per day, and was derived from the cheapest way of satisfying the requirement of 2,400 calories for an adult living in the TCI in July, 1999. While an estimate of 25.9% poor may appear to be high, at first glance, the percentage of extremely poor individuals in the TCI is very low. Thus, almost all individuals in the country are able to satisfy their basic nutritional requirements.

Area Distribution

The poorest islands were North and Middle Caicos, with South Caicos following. However, just over 16% of the population was resident on those islands. It was estimated that 52.5% of the population lived in Providenciales, but only 30.9% of the poor were on that island. Grand Turk, with 30.4% of the population had 38.5% of the poor. Indeed, except for Salt Cay, it was only Providenciales that had a smaller percentage of poor than its contribution to the total population. The continuing exodus to Providenciales is understandable. (See Table 1.1).

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3

TABLE 1.1

Poverty Estimates by Island, 1999

Total Island Population Islands % of Non-Poor Population % of Poor Population % of Island Population Poor % of Total Population Poor No. % Providenciales 60.1 30.9 15.3 8.0 1,554 52.5 North Caicos 1.2 5.5 0.8 1.4 9 2.3 Middle Caicos 0.8 3.5 61.4 0.9 44 1.5 South Caicos 9.2 21.6 45.2 5.6 367 12.4 Grand Turk 27.6 38.5 32.8 10.0 901 30.4 Salt Cay 1.1 0 0 0 25 0.8 % 100 100 25.9 100 Total No. 2,191 769

Source: 1999 Poverty Assessment Report, Statistical Office, DEPS

Gender

Males accounted for 48% percent of poor persons and females 52% percent. There was an equal percentage of poor males among males (25.9%) as were there poor females among females (see Table 1.2).

TABLE 1.2

Poverty Status by Gender, 1999

Poor (%) Non-Poor (%) Total (%)

Within Gender

Gender _Within

Socio-Economic Status Within Gender

Within

Socio-Economic Status Within Gender

Within

Socio-Economic Status No. %

Male 48.0 25.9 52.0 74.1 48.1 1,423 100

Female 52.0 25.9 48.0 74.1 51.9 1,534 100

% 100 100 100

Total

No. 766 2,191 2,957

Children

There were signs of an increased difficulty faced by children. There is a shortage of persons to provide foster care for children orphaned by death of parents through HIV/AIDS. There is also an increase in evidence noted by some of the authorities of malnutrition among children at schools. On the one hand, there is increasing incidence of obesity of children, and on the other, here was evidence of nutritional deficiencies, suggesting the need for a school meals service in some communities.

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Indicator 2: Poverty gap ratio [incidence x depth of poverty] (World Bank)

The indicator measures the “poverty deficit” of the entire population, where the poverty deficit is the per capita amount of resources that would be needed to bring all poor people above the poverty line through perfectly targeted cash transfers. The 1999 Poverty Assessment estimated the poverty gap ratio as 5.7%. In other words, there was a 5.7% aggregate disparity in the expenditure of the poor compared to the poverty line.

Indicator 3: Share of poorest quintile in national consumption (World Bank)

The indicator provides information about the distribution of consumption or income of the poorest fifth of the population. Because the consumption of the poorest fifth is expressed as a percentage of total household consumption (or income), this indicator is a “relative inequality” measure. Therefore, while the absolute consumption of the poorest fifth may increase, its share of total consumption may remain the same (if the total goes up by the same proportion), decline (if the total goes up by a larger proportion) or increase (if the total goes up by a smaller proportion). The 1999 SLC revealed that the per capita non-food expenditure of the two poorest quintiles was calculated at US$1,544.12.

POVERTY PROFILE, 1999

• The annual Indigence Line and the Poverty Line were estimated at US$880 and

$2,424, respectively.

• 18.3% percent of households and 26% of the population were poor.

• Only 3.2% of the population was indigent in that expenditures were inadequate to cover dietary requirements.

• 17.4% of households headed by males and 20.4% of households headed by female

were poor.

• TC Islanders comprised 49.5% of the poor, and Haitians 38%.

• 60.8% of persons living in North Caicos was poor and 61.4% of persons in Middle Caicos.

• The Poverty Gap for the country was 5.7%, but 18.3% and 10.4% for Middle Caicos and South Caicos, respectively.

• FFT (severity) was 2.6%

• The lowest quintile had an average household size of 3.9 persons, compared to 1.9 in the highest quintile.

• The unemployment rate for the country was estimated at 12.4% but was 21% in the lowest quintile.

• On average there were about two persons (1.5) employed in every household in the TCI.

• The lowest quintile had a lower participation rate in the labour force (42.6%) and a higher unemployment rate (21.0%) than the highest quintile (71.1% and 5.7%, respectively).

• Unemployment was highest among Haitian (18.7%) than any other nationality.

• Lack of educational attainment did not prevent entry into the labour marker.

• Most of the non-certified poor were employed in elementary and skilled occupation.

• A disproportionate share of persons in the lower level occupational categories were Haitians.

• There was no significant difference in the reporting of illnesses between the poor and the non-poor.

• There was a disinclination to report the incidence of HIV/AIDS in the sample although there is an increased prevalence among the population – 94 officially confirmed cases since 1985.

• Respondents relied on the public health system for most of their medical care and were generally satisfied with the service provided.

• Inadequate garbage disposal posed a major environmental and health hazard in Five Cays.

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5

High levels of poverty retard progress towards sustainable development since poverty limits access to health and education services, which in turn produces intergenerational poverty. Consequently, poverty reduction is usually a primary objective of all governments. The Poverty Reduction Action Plan of the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) noted ‘mounting pressure’ due to the impact of social change caused by the vibrant tourism industry. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) TCI Draft Country Programme (2004 to 2008) noted that high rates of immigration have exacerbated the existing problems that have been experienced over the years; the

significant influx, particularly from Haiti and the Dominican Republic, have led to the growth of a relatively poor migrant community, which has placed severe strains on the social sector, especially on health and education.

If the rate of poverty reduction of the 1990s continues, coupled with the continuation and improvement of plans and programmes which have started, the outlook for poverty reduction in

the TCI is favourable, and economic growth has shown a positive trend. With the growth in aggregate gross domestic product (GDP) in recent years it may be perceived that there was a reduction in the proportion of population below the poverty line. Per capita basis GDP (constant prices) was US$15,683 in 2005 – a growth rate of 2.34%. Given that no other poverty assessments were done since 1999; it is difficult to continually monitor any progress made on this or any poverty indicator. However, it is still uncertain whether any advances will be sustained and its impact on poverty is not yet known.

Poverty reduction was addressed as part of the Ten Year National Development Plan (NDP) for the TCI which is currently being prepared. This presents an opportunity to implement programmes to reduce or alleviate poverty in the TCI context in a coordinated and consistent manner as well as put mechanisms in place to manage poverty on an ongoing basis.

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“The Millennium Development Goals Report 2005, an interim survey launched recently by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, attests that in the area of goal number two of the MDGs, which is to achieve universal primary education, that "the greatest progress in primary school completion has been made in Latin America and the Caribbean and South-East Asia, where over 90 per cent of children reach the final grade." (Caribbean nearer to achieving universal primary education, Career & Education, The Jamaica Observer, Sunday, August 14, 2005)

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GOAL 2: ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION

TARGET 3: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

Indicator 6: Net enrolment ratio in primary education (UNESCO)

This indicator shows the extent of participation in primary education of primary age pupils and provides an indication of the educational system’s coverage and efficiency. It is not an indication of the education system’s shortcomings in coverage and efficiency but of a natural disparity. However, it should be noted that the difference from 100% does not necessarily indicate the actual percentage of students out of school, since some of these children might be enrolled at other levels of education. At the same time, the disparity in the primary age population may account for the slight differentials in the ratios for boys and girls.

The TCI is close to achieving this target as primary enrolment is universal and education for all students of school age is mandatory and free in all public schools. In addition, in keeping with its international obligations under the United Nations Convention

on the Rights of the Child, all children residing legally in this country are allowed access to an education. Primary level enrolment ratio remained stable, over the last 8 years, at an average of approximately 80 enrollees per 100 children of primary school age (see Table 2.1 and Chart 2.1) and may actually be very close to 100%, but given the unavailability of population data for the respective age cohort it is difficult to present more reliable estimates.

Indicator 7: Proportion of pupils starting grade 1 who reach grade 5 (UNESCO)

In order to track progress towards the target of ensuring the completion of a full course of primary education, assessing trends in enrolment is not sufficient. Data indicate that countries may have a high initial enrolment ratio and low primary completion rates. Many countries are able to ensure students start grade 1 but fail to retain them in the school system until the desirable level of completion. The indicator used to track progress in level of completion is the survival rate to grade 5 of primary education.

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7

This indicator shows the percentage of children starting grade 1 who eventually start grade 5. The survival rate is a relevant way to assess the capacity of educational systems to retain children in school and to allow them to be autonomous and productive individuals in society. It measures the holding power and internal efficiency of an education system. A survival rate approaching 100% indicates a high level of retention and low incidence of dropout. It should also be noted that this indicator only measures the probability that those entering the primary education cycle will remain in the school system. It therefore needs to be analyzed in conjunction with indicators on enrolment.

There has been some improvement (8.1%) in the survival rate in 2005/06 over 2004/05 from 90.68% to 98%. However, there was a slight drop (2.4%) in the rate from 2003/04 to 2004/05, that is, from 92.88% to 90.68. Nonetheless, the average survival rate over the last 8 years is approximately 90%. It must be noted that the survival rate is sensitive to dramatic year-to-year fluctuations. In almost all the countries where survival rates have declined during the decade, girls were more affected than boys. This situation, however, was not the case of the TCI. Survival rates for girls actually increased over the last 2 years from 80.75% in 2003/04 to 96.81% and 108.21% in 2004/05 and 2005/06, respectively. Survival rates for girls averages approximately 91.6% over the last 8 years when compared to 88.7% for boys. (See Table 2.1 and Chart 2.2). These changes may be a result of not only the number of students enrolled but also on the number of repeaters and dropouts.

In the TCI, the total number of repeater ranged from 99-263, with 2002/03 being the year which recorded the highest number and 2005/06 was the year with the lowest number. From 2002/03 the numbers declined each year to its present low level. Repeater rates ranged from 3.3% to 10% in the last 8 years. However, more boys (93.9) than girls (77.5) tended to repeat on average, over the last 8 school years. In total, an average of 169.6 pupils repeated some level of primary education.7 Progression rates were above 90% and averaged 93.5% from 1998/99-2003/04. In the school years 2001/02-2003/04, an average net transfer of 66 pupils was recorded (33.33 girls and 32.33 boys), hence accounting for survival rates above 100% in some instances in Table 2.1. At the same time, drop-outs and drop-out rates were quite low, averaging 25 pupils per academic year (12.67 girls and 12.33 boys) with corresponding drop-out rate averaging less than 1% in any of the academic years under review.8

7_{Statistical Office, DEPS (2006). S}_{ocial Indicators, Trends and Statistics, 2005.}_{p. 31.} 8_{Statistical Office, DEPS (2006). S}_{ocial Indicators, Trends and Statistics, 2003.}_{pp. 50-51.}

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TABLE 2.1

Net Enrolment Ratio and Proportion of Pupils Starting Grade 1 Who Reach Grade 5 by Sex 1998/99-2005/06 Indicator Sex 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 Enrolment1 Girls 1,324 1,503 1,557 1,421 1,298 1,481 1,643 1,761 Boys 1,311 1,466 1,639 1,602 1,337 1,522 1,659 1,799 Total 2,635 2,969 3,196 3,023 2,635 3,003 3,302 3,560 Girls 1,562 1,626 1,748 1,880 1,976 2,085 1,979 2,194 Boys 1,561 1,625 1,747 1,879 1,975 2,084 1,981 2,196 Estimated Population 4-14 Years Total 3,123 3,251 3,495 3,759 3,951 4,169 3,960 4,390 Girls 84.76 92.44 89.07 75.59 65.69 71.03 83.02 80.26 Boys 83.98 90.22 93.82 85.26 67.70 73.03 83.75 81.92 Net Enrolment Ratio2 (%) Total 84.37 91.33 91.44 80.42 66.69 72.03 83.38 81.09 Girls 85.23 92.81 102.55 73.11 88.51 80.75 96.81 108.21 Boys 87.80 80.00 80.50 97.67 88.82 106.71 84.18 88.29 Survival Rate3_(%) Total 86.58 86.54 90.20 84.11 88.68 92.88 90.68 98.00 Source: Education Planning Department; Statistical Office, DEPS

Notes:

1

Comprises of enrolment in both Government and Private Primary Schools.

2

The number of 4 to 14 years girls (boys) enrolled in primary education, divided by the total population of girls (boys) in that age group, times 100. This indicator is therefore affected by the overall sex composition of the population in the age group considered.

3

Number of girls (boys) completing Fourth Grade (or reaching Grade Five) of the primary stage as a proportion of the number of girls (boys) in the first primary grade (Grade One), four years previously.

CHART 2.1

Net Enrolment Ratios by Sex, 1998/99-2005/06 (Percentage) 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 (% )

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9

CHART 2.2

Proportion of Pupils Starting Grade 1 Who Reach Grade 5, 1998/99-2005/06 (Percentage)

Indicator 8: Literacy rate of 15-24 year-olds (UNESCO)

This indicator helps to assess the effectiveness of a country’s basic education system in providing the necessary education for children to become literate. “Literacy is internationally defined as the ability to read and write, with understanding, a short simple statement related to one’s daily life. Literacy involves a continuum of reading and writing skills, sometimes extending to basic arithmetic skill and life skills.

Literacy reflects the accumulated achievement of primary education and adult literacy programmes in imparting basic literacy skill to the population, thereby enabling people to apply such skills in daily life and to continue learning and communicating using the written word.”9 The 2001 Population and Housing Census provides the only available data for measuring this indicator but is also a valuable indication of the state of the literacy as well as a benchmark against which progress can be monitored.

According to the 2001 Population and Housing Census, more than 95.12% of the youth population (15-24 years) could be viewed as having received sufficient schooling to function as literates (see Table 2.2). (See also Goal 3, Indicator 10). This is very near the rate recorded by the developed countries in 2000 of

9_{United Nations (2004). Progress Towards the Millennium Development Goals, 1990 – 2003.}_{Goal 2 – Achieve Universal}

Education. Statistics Division Internet Site http://millenniumindicators.un.org (accessed September, 2004). p. 8.

60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 (% )

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99.7% and above the developing countries and the Caribbean which recorded 84.4% and 87.1%, respectively.10 A gender gap in literacy is not a serious concern for the TCI given the relatively close literacy rates of women (94.04%) and men (96.3%), in 2001. These literacy rates are relatively high when compared to the projected 76% by 2015 of the least developed countries. According to the UN (2004) “Projections based on current trends indicate that there will still be more than 100 million illiterate youths in 2015.”11 In addition, the UN (2000) postulated that “Nearly two thirds of the world’s 876 million illiterates are women, and more than one in four women aged 15 to 24 are illiterate in 21 of the countries with data from the 1990 census.”12

TABLE 2.2

Literacy Rate1 of 15-24 Year-Olds by Sex, 2001

Indicator 2001c

Number of Literate Women 15-24 Years Old 1,310 Total Number of Women 15-24 Years Old 1,393 Literacy Rate of Women 15-24 Years old (%) 94.04

Number of Literate Men 15-24 Years Old 1,223 Total Number of Men 15-24 Years Old 1,270 Literacy Rate of Men 15-24 Years old (%) 96.30

Total No. of Literate Women & Men 15-24 Years Old 2,533 Total No. of Women & Men 15-24 Years Old 2,663 Literacy Rate of 15-24 Year-Olds (%) 95.12 Source: Statistical Office, DEPS

Notes: c - 2001Population and Housing Census

1

Completed at least a primary level education

The TCI has made great strides in the last few years with regard to investment in education. In 2004/05, public expenditure on education (both recurrent and capital) accounted for 17.78% of total expenditure, up from 16.34% in 2003/04. However, in 2005/06, education expenditure declined to 17.33%.13 These expenditures include increases in teachers’ salaries, recruitment of additional teachers, building of libraries, new schools and upgrading of old ones.

10_{United Nations Statistics Division, “World and Regional Trends”,}_{Millennium Indicators Database,}

http://millenniumindicators.un.org (accessed December 2003); based on data provided by UNESCO.

11_{United Nations (2004). Progress Towards the Millennium Development Goals, 1990 – 2003.}_{Goal 2 –Achieve Universal}

Education. Statistics Division Internet Site http://millenniumindicators.un.org (accessed September, 2004). p. 5.

12

United Nations (2000). The World’s Women 2000 – Trends and Statistics. New York:United Nations. Sales No. E.00.XVII.14. p. 88.

13_{Statistical Office, DEPS. (2006). Social}_{Indicators, Trends and Statistics, 2005}_{. p. 33. and}_{Report on Government Finance}

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11

Progress in the TCI towards the Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal primary education is on track and achievement is well in sight. Better education is essential for complementary good public health practices and for many other crucial development services, from agricultural extension to job training. Education also allows development in other areas to take root. Basic education for all is a basic human right and is central to the world’s strategy for achieving the other Millennium Development Goals and reducing extreme poverty. The Millennium Declaration and the Education for All Initiative14 pledged that by 2015, all children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete primary schooling. Children must be better educated to earn a decent living and become engaged, informed citizens.15

14_{The Education for All movement took off at the World Conference on Education for All in 1990. Since then, governments,}

non-governmental organizations, civil society, bilateral and multilateral donor agencies and the media have taken up the cause of providing basic education for all children, youth and adults. http://www.uis.unesco.org/ev.php?URL_ID=5262&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201 (accessed December, 2006).

15_{United Nations (2004). Progress Towards the Millennium Development Goals, 1990 – 2003.}_{Goal 2 – Achieve Universal}

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“At the same time that women produce 75 to 90 percent of food crops in the world, they are responsible for the running of households. According to the United Nations, in no country in the world do men come anywhere close to women in the amount of time spent in housework. Furthermore, despite the efforts of feminist movements, women in the core [wealthiest, western countries] still suffer disproportionately, leading to what sociologist refers to as the “feminization of poverty,” where two out of every three poor adults are women. The informal slogan of the Decade of Women became “Women do two-thirds of the world's work, receive 10 percent of the world's income and own 1 percent of the means of production.” (Allyn & Bacon, (1999) in Richard H. Robbins, Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism, p. 354).

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GOAL 3: PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY

AND EMPOWER WOMEN

TARGET 4: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015.

Indicator 9: Ratio of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education (UNESCO)

In the TCI, there is a basic and accepted education policy for equal educational opportunity for all; where all children of primary school age are entitled to free education. Therefore, there is no reason for any gaps in the proportion of girls’ enrolment to exist for any reason other than a natural difference in the sex structure of the school-age population. This phenomenon is characteristic of developed regions where there is no gender disparity in primary education, and the difference is merely attributable to the higher number of boys in the age group considered. However, gender disparities tend to increase at higher levels of education. Enrolment at all levels of education in the TCI is high and girls tend to be well represented in both primary and secondary education but tend to be progressively more marked in tertiary education. The number of girls per 100 boys in both primary and secondary education remained relatively stable at an average of about 95-100 in the last 8 school years, which is comparable to the ratios of the developed regions and slightly above the ratios of Latin America and the Caribbean. In the TCI, the widest gender gap is noticed in tertiary education. This is also typical of the developed regions where the gender gap is clearly reversed. There were 302 girls to every 100 boy in tertiary education in 2003/04 and this has increased from 206 in the previous academic year. (See Table 3.1 and Chart 3.1). At the tertiary level, girls have chosen to further their education after secondary schooling where the boys tended to enter the labour market.

TABLE 3.1

Ratio of Girls to Boys in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education, 1998/99-2005/06

Indicator 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 Ratio of Girls to Boys in:

Primary Education 1.01 1.03 0.95 0.89 0.97 0.97 0.99 0.98 Secondary Education 1.04 1.10 1.14 0.96 0.97 0.96 0.92 0.91

Tertiary Education1 … … 1.94 … 2.06 3.02 … …

Sources: Educational Planning Department; Turks and Ciacos Islands Community College; Statistical Office, DEPS Notes:

1

Only reflects enrolment in the Turks and Caocis Islands Community College and does not include students enrolled in tertiary institutions overseas on scholarships or otherwise.

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13

CHART 3.1

Girls Primary and Secondary School Enrolment Ratios in Relation to Boys, 1998/99- 2005/06 (Girls per 100 Boys)

Indicator 10: Ratio of literate women to men, 15-24 years old (UNESCO)

This ratio measures the progress towards gender equity in literacy and learning opportunities for women in relation to those for men. It also measures a presumed outcome of attending school and a key indicator of empowerment of women in society. Literacy is a fundamental skill to empower women to take control of their lives, to engage directly without authority and to gain access to the wider world of learning. Equal access to education at all levels and the reduction of female illiteracy are among the targets of the Beijing Platform for Action (adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995) and one of the goals of the Education for All initiative. The 2001 Population and Housing Census revealed that the ratio of literate women to men ages 15-24 years old was 0.98, judged by the numbers who completed at least a primary education (see Table 3.2). However, since 2001, there were no other literacy assessments done and as such measuring and monitoring of this indicator has not been sustainable. (See also Goal 2, Indicator 8).

TABLE 3.2

Ratio of Literate1 Women to Men, 15-24 Years Old, 2001

Indicator 2001c

Literacy Rate of Women Ages 15-24 Years Old (%) 94.04 Literacy Rate of Men Ages 15-24 Years Old (%) 96.30 Ratio of Literate Women to Men, 15-24 Years Old2 0.98 Source: Statistical Office, DEPS

Notes: c - 2001Population and Housing Census

1

Completed at least a primary level education

2

Also knows as the Literacy Gender Parity Index

101 103 ₉₅ 89 97 97 99 98 104 110 114 96 97 96 92 91 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 G ir ls p e r 100 B o ys Primary Secondary

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Indicator 11: Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector (ILO)

This indicator measures the degree to which labour markets are open to women in industry and services sectors, which affects not only equal employment opportunity for women but also economic efficiency through flexibility of the labour market and, therefore, the economy’s ability to adapt to change. Women in the TCI, in 2005, comprise about 14% of the employed population (7,093 of 17,442).16 In 2001, younger women experienced more unemployment than men. The youth (15-24 years) unemployment rate for women was 19.6% versus 17.2% for men. In addition, in 2001, male labour force participation was greater than that of females, 88.4% versus 70.3%.17 The average annual income of female-headed households (US$21,921) in 2001 was 64% of that of male-headed households and 72% of the national average.18

It is evidenced from Table 3.3 and Chart 3.2 that more men than women dominate paid-employment in the TCI regardless of the sector considered. Women in the TCI still have a smaller share and access to paid employment than most men but this is not uncharacteristic of most of the developing world, including Latin America and the Caribbean, where women now hold well over 40% of the paying jobs.19 Women hold more than one-third (43%) of the paying jobs in sectors outside of agriculture. These numbers are also evidenced in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as the developed regions although transition economies record higher proportions. Services industries have expanded opportunities for women’s participation in the labour force. The data supports this view since women tended to be mostly in paid-employment in the services sector than in the industry or agriculture and fishing sectors. (See Table 3.3 and Chart 3.1). In addition, of the total women employed in 2005, 16.2% worked in private households whereas only 5.7% of the total men employed worked in private households. This therefore means that 94.3% of the employed males were employed in establishments when compared to 83.8% employed women in establishments.20 Nonetheless, this therefore means that women have become more integrated into the monetary economy through participation in the formal and informal sectors.

As economies develop, the share of women in non-agricultural wage employment becomes increasingly important. A higher share in paid employment could secure for them better income, economic security, and well-being. Men more often hold regular and better remunerated jobs, whereas women are frequently in peripheral, insecure, less valued jobs, as home workers, casual workers or part-time or temporary workers.

16_{Statistical Office, DEPS (September, 2006).}_{Labour and Employment Situationer, 2001-2005}_{. p. 17.} 17

Statistical Office, DEPS (June, 2005). TCI Gender Profile, 2004. pp. 10-12.

18_{Statistical Office, DEPS (2001).}_{2001 Population and Housing Census.}

19_{United Nations (2005).}_{The Millennium Development Goals Report 2005.}_{New York. p. 15.} 20_{Statistical Office, DEPS (September, 2006).}_{Labour and Employment Situationer, 2001-2005}_{. p. 30.}

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15

TABLE 3.3

Share of Women in Paid Employment in the Non-Agricultural Sector, 2002-2005

2002 2003 2004 2005

Indicator

F M T F M T F M T F M T

Agriculture and Fishing Sector 18 89 107 24 96 120 27 101 128 31 105 136 Non-Agricultural Sector: Industry 231 1,418 1,649 258 1,866 2,124 271 2,092 2,363 312 2,447 2,759 Services 3,910 4,310 8,220 4,723 5,102 9,825 5,430 5,522 10,952 6,010 6,027 12,037 Not Stated _{6 8} ₁₄ ₁₆₀ ₃₆₅ ₅₂₅ ₄₅ ₂₀₇ _{252 320} ₇₉₀ _1,110 Total _4,165_{5,825 9,990 5,165 7,429 12,594 5,773 7,922}_13,695_{6,673 9,369 16,042} Share of Women in Paid Employment

in the Non-Agricultural Sector (%)

41.96 41.69 42.82 42.73

Sources: National Insurance Board; Statistical Office, DEPS Note: F – Female, M – Male, T – Total

CHART 3.2

Share of Women in Non-Agricultural Wage Employment, 2002-2005 (Percentage)

CHART 3.3

Share of Women in Total Employment by Job Status, 2002-2005 (Average Percentage) 42 30 41 58 70 59 0 20 40 60 80 100

Wage and Salaried Self-Employed Total Employed (%) Women Men 41.96 41.69 42.82 42.73 41.00 41.50 42.00 42.50 43.00 2002 2003 2004 2005 (%)

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Hon. Dr. Lillian Boyce,

Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, Culture, Arts, Gender Affairs & Social Development

and Member of Parliament

Indicator 12: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament (IPU)

Women’s representation in parliaments is one aspect of women’s opportunities in political and public life, and it is therefore linked to women’s empowerment. In the TCI, women are significantly under-represented in key decision – making positions in public life and leadership. Women’s share of seats in Parliament has only increased by 1, from 3 in 2000 to 4 in 2005. This is equivalent to less than one-quarter (15.79% and 21.05%, respectively) of the seats in national parliament in the 2 years (see Table 3.4).

Disparity in participation of women in parliament and national politics could be as a result of choice rather an issue of being marginalized and thus their men counterpart dominate decision-making at the highest echelons. However, this trend is not atypical of Latin American and Caribbean countries or globally, where women’s representation in parliament is nearly 20%, or merely 15%-16% in the world, and 21% in developing regions.21 Women still face many political obstacles in fully exercising and efficiently carrying out their parliamentary mandate. The UN proffered that: “Awareness campaigns, training and reform of political parties have also proved effective in increasing women’s participation as leaders and voters.”22

According to the UN (2004): “Women’s equal participation with men in power and decision-making is part of their fundamental right to participate in political life, and at the core of gender equality and women’s empowerment. It allows women to exercise the right to take part, together with men, in the management of public affairs.”23 More women are needed in parliament to have an effect. However, a significant presence of women in parliament does not guarantee in itself that women have achieved equality in the political sphere,or that greater attention to issues will translate into needed policies and action. They also need to gain full access to ministerial positions – especially those with larger portfolios – and to economic decision-making at all levels. The Economic and Social Council (ESC), in 1990, estimates that women

21

Ibid. pp. 16-17.

22_{Ibid. p. 17.}

23_{United Nations (2004). Progress Towards the Millennium Development Goals, 1990 – 2003.}_{Goal 3 – Promote Gender Equality}

and Empower Women. Statistics Division Internet Site http://millenniumindicators.un.org (accessed September, 2004). p. 7. H.E. Mahala Wynns,

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17

need to account for a minimum of 30% of seats for them to have significant influence.24 Experience in many countries suggests that when there is a significant presence of women at the decision-making level, more attention that continue to affect women more significantly than men, such as unpaid labour, basic social services, and violence against women. In 2002, in only 11 countries did the presence of women in parliament reach or exceed the target called for by the ESC, and not a single country has ever achieved numerical equal participation of women and men.25

TABLE 3.4

Proportion of Seats Held by Women in National Parliament1, 2000-2005

Indicator 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Total Number of Seats 19 19 19 19 19 19

Number of Women 3 3 3 4 4 4

Number of Men 16 16 16 15 15 15

Proportion of Seats held by Women

in National Parliament (%) 15.79 15.79 15.79 21.05 21.05 21.05 Sources: House of Assembly; Statistical Office, DEPS

Note: 1House of Assembly is the term now used to refer to National Parliament in the TCI from 2006 (Constitutional Order 2006, August); prior to 2006 it was called the Legislative Council. Members were previously called Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) and now they are called Members of Parliament (MP).

Gender equality and the empowerment of women are basic human rights and at the heart of achieving the MDGs. It was also a resolution of the Millennium Declaration. This means equality at all levels of education and in all areas of work, equal control over resources and equal representation in public and political life. Gender parity is already experienced at the primary and secondary levels of education and women made significant gains in their representation in tertiary level education – surpassing their male counterparts. Most of these indicators register some progress where in some cases the trend is positive. Goal 3 is therefore partly achievable if targeted interventions are introduced and implemented as these can go a long way towards getting boys into tertiary schools, and encouraging them to stay there. Education is vital if women are to engage fully in society and the global economy and for accessing wider opportunities for effective participation in public life and the development process. Education is one of the most important aspects of human development. Among the numerous benefits of quality education is the security that comes from paid employment. According to the UN, “Female education is also an important determinant of economic development”26. At the same time, the share of women in non-agricultural wage employment needs to be increased to reach a level of parity with men coupled with increased representation by women in national parliament to fully exercise their role in political life with a guarantee

24

Ibid.

25_Ibid.

26_Uni

Data from this publication may be reproduced with acknowledgement from source.

FOREWORD

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Dr. Rufus Ewing

Mr. Delton Jones

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Goal 8: Develop Global Partnership for Development

NOTES, SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Section Notes

Statistical Abbreviations and Conventions

HIGHLIGHTS

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Goal 1 | Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Goal 4 | Reduce child mortality

Goal 7 | Ensure environmental sustainability

Goal 8 | Develop a global partnership for development

BACKGROUND

GOAL 1: ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY AND HUNGER

TARGET 1: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day

Indigence

Poverty Estimates by Island, 1999

TABLE 1.2

Poverty Status by Gender, 1999

Indicator 2: Poverty gap ratio [incidence x depth of poverty] (World Bank)

POVERTY PROFILE, 1999

GOAL 2: ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION

TARGET 3: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

Indicator 7: Proportion of pupils starting grade 1 who reach grade 5 (UNESCO)

TABLE 2.1

CHART 2.1

Net Enrolment Ratios by Sex, 1998/99-2005/06 (Percentage) 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 (% )

TABLE 2.2

Literacy Rate1 of 15-24 Year-Olds by Sex, 2001

GOAL 3: PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY

TARGET 4: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015.

TABLE 3.1

Ratio of Girls to Boys in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education, 1998/99-2005/06

Girls Primary and Secondary School Enrolment Ratios in Relation to Boys, 1998/99- 2005/06 (Girls per 100 Boys)

TABLE 3.2

Ratio of Literate1 Women to Men, 15-24 Years Old, 2001

Indicator 11: Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector (ILO)

Share of Women in Paid Employment in the Non-Agricultural Sector, 2002-2005

CHART 3.2

Share of Women in Non-Agricultural Wage Employment, 2002-2005 (Percentage)

CHART 3.3

Hon. Dr. Lillian Boyce,

TABLE 3.4

Proportion of Seats Held by Women in National Parliament1, 2000-2005