This work was commissioned by the National Women's Commission, 2009 and funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The revised National Gender Policy was commissioned and prepared by the National Commission for Women, which was established in 1982 as the government's national advisory body on gender-related issues.
Background
A Women's Issues Network (WIN Belize) was established in 1993 to advance the gender equality agenda in Belize. Gender issues presented in a Situation Analysis of Gender in Belize (2002) and Concluding Comments of the CEDAW Committee (1999) formed the basis for actions outlined in the National Gender Policy (2002). In late 2008, the NWC decided to review and validate this National Gender Policy to ensure: a.) its continued relevance in the Belizean context and b.) its responsiveness to the CEDAW Committee's Concluding Comments (2007).
Preamble
Recalling that the United Nations Millennium Declaration (2000) led to the Millennium Development Goals (2001), which set specific development goals to be achieved by 2015, including specific goals for achieving gender equality and empowering women, as well as gender equality in the advancement of all MDGs. The Government of Belize undertakes this National Gender Policy as the framework through which these rights are translated into de jure and de facto achievement of gender equality, women's equality and empowerment in Belize.
Policy Vision
Recognizing that these commitments are designed together to promote national and international progress in achieving de jure and de facto gender equality and equity;. The National Gender Policy is based on principles set forth in the Belize Constitution and in International Conventions and Agreements signed and ratified by the Government of Belize.
Guiding Principles
Best Interests of the Child: The best interests of the child must be a priority in the creation of all policies, programs and decisions affecting development in Belize. Full participation of women and men: For citizens to successfully exercise their human rights, they require access to multiple spaces for participation in the development process.
Policy Purpose
Coordination and Harmonization: Equality, gender equality and women's empowerment require a multi-sectoral approach to development. This approach ensures that progress in equality, equity and women's empowerment sets the stage and pace for the further achievement of human rights for all.
Policy Goal and Priorities
Overall Goal
Policy Priorities
Cross-Cutting Strategies
Objectives and Commitments
Health
This reorientation of services aims to facilitate the provision of comprehensive SRH and other primary health care services to both men and women across the life cycle. Greater investment is needed to improve health care providers' skills in providing comprehensive SRH services to meet the needs of this population. Women tend to seek healthcare services (including SRH and mental health services) earlier than men.
Mental health care is one of the health services in Belize that has been invested in to improve the quality of care. Develop policies and programs aimed at increasing the access of men (of all ages) to preventive and primary health services, especially sexual and reproductive health and mental health services. Establish a mechanism to correct potential violations of human rights, as stated in this Policy, regarding access to health care and the provision and treatment of health services.
Education
The differences in the percentage of trained teachers in urban and rural areas, although small, indicate a greater need to create conditions for improving the quality of education that will be provided within rural schools. This specific training increased the percentage of trained high school teachers in Stann Creek District to nearly 100%. Therefore, many children are not receiving sexual and reproductive health information as described in the HFLE curriculum.
Historical inequalities in the distribution of educational resources exacerbate existing gender and social inequalities in the education system. Mainstream gender issues in the implementation of existing and new education-related policies, regulations and programs, including removing gender stereotypes from textbooks used in primary and secondary schools. Invest human and financial resources in programs, whether in the public or non-government sectors, that give children, young women and men a "second chance" to complete their formal education and/or learn a marketable skill.
Wealth and Employment Generation
Issues related to poverty for women and men were illustrated in the 2006 public consultation report on poverty in Belize. Because less than 50% of women participate in the workforce, only this group qualifies for SSB benefits. Create an anti-discrimination law that includes the elimination of all forms of gender-related discrimination across society, including in the world of work.
Provide greater opportunities for women and youth work and job creation, particularly in marginalized communities identified in the Belize Decent Work Program. These should be established in strategic locations, including in the workplace, to facilitate both parents' access to work. This includes capacity building on gender issues for legal professionals working in the legal system and the strengthening of legal aid centers to ensure access to justice for women, men and.
Gender-Based Violence
A new domestic violence law and increased national awareness of gender-based violence served as a catalyst for a better response. End gender-based violence perpetrated against girls, boys, women and men across the life cycle, as well as gender-based violence against persons with disabilities and mental illnesses. Increase human and financial resources to upgrade and maintain national programs aimed at protecting children and eliminating gender-based violence.
These programs must respond to the prevention of gender-based violence, the protection and rehabilitation of victims of gender-based violence as well as their access to justice. Upgrade the surveillance and analysis of national data on gender-based violence to ensure a more effective response. Establish a strong psychosocial support mechanism for victims of gender-based violence and other social issues that create vulnerabilities to gender-based violence.
Power and Decision-Making
The caucus should develop a women's fund to support female candidates across the political divide who agree with and support the organization. The National Commission for Women has developed programs aimed at increasing women's political participation across political divides. Protecting women's right to participate in the formulation and implementation of government policies and programs.
Protecting women's right to hold public office and perform all public functions at all levels of government. Special temporary measures should be taken to meet specific objectives for greater political participation of women on an equal basis with men. This includes the National Commission for Women, the Department for Women and any related ministry or department that may be considered critical to the successful implementation of this policy.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
The Department of Women will function as the key link between the KWC and governmental, quasi-governmental and non-governmental implementers of the Revised National Action Plan on Gender Policy. In the case of the Department of Women, an institutional audit will be conducted (in the first year of implementation of the Revised National Gender Policy) to determine areas for further strengthening. The Ministry of Public Service will be responsible for building the capacities of human resources for gender integration in ministries, departments and within quasi-governmental bodies.
They will be responsible for ensuring that their programs remain consistent with the aims and objectives of the policy and that these are reflected in their resource mobilization initiatives. The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) will work with the National Commission on Women and the implementing partners for the revised National Gender Policy. Therefore, resource allocations to, and technical collaboration with, implementers in government, quasi-governmental and non-governmental agencies must be consistent with the achievement of the goals and objectives of this policy.
Resource Mobilization
The SIB together with the Commission's Belize Gender Info will promote and support the collection of sectoral data disaggregated by gender and provide sex-disaggregated data on key gender and social indicators selected to achieve the aim and objectives of the Revised National to monitor gender policy. The SIB will also provide technical support in monitoring the policy and in the use of relevant data for gender analysis of specific policy and programmatic outcomes. Where possible, the SIB will provide advice for the consolidation of the M&E framework for this Gender Policy with other M&E frameworks implemented by other relevant organisations.
This includes the M&E Framework for the Millennium Development Goals, the Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Plan (NPESAP), the National Plan of Action for Children and Youth (NPA), the Strategic Plan for a Multi-Sectoral Response to HIV/AIDS and the Strategic Plan for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) , among other. This revised National Gender Policy sets the national direction for policies, laws, programs and projects aimed at achieving equality, equity and women's empowerment in Belize. As such, international development partners must be guided by this policy when making resource allocation commitments for Belize.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Glossary of Terms
Equality: This refers to fairness and equity in the distribution of resources, benefits and/or access to services between women and men. Gender Perspective: This is an approach where the ultimate goal is to create equality and equity between women and men. In this policy, a project refers to a temporary endeavor aimed at achieving equality, equity and women's empowerment.
In this policy, a program refers to ongoing activities within a medium to long-term action plan aimed at achieving gender equality, equality and the empowerment of women. Strategic gender needs: those identified as necessary to transform existing unequal relations between women and men. Unsoundness of Mind Act, Chapter 122 of the Substantive Laws of Belize (2000 Edition). Government of Belize.