Belize
Americas
Globally, some progress on women’s rights has been achieved. In Belize, the adolescent birth rate is 0.9 per 1,000 women aged 15–19 as of 2021, down from 1.02 per 1,000 in 2020. In 2015, 64.9% of women of reproductive age (15-49 years) had their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods.
However, work still needs to be done in Belize to achieve gender equality. 77.8% of legal frameworks that promote, enforce and monitor gender equality under the SDG indicator, with a focus on violence against women, are in place. 33.5% of women aged 20–24 years old who were married or in a union before age 18. As of February 2024, only 15.6% of seats in parliament were held by women. In 2018, 7.8% of women aged 15-49 years reported that they had been subject to physical and/or sexual violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months.
As of Dec-20, only 36.9% of indicators needed to monitor the SDGs from a gender perspective were available, with gaps in key areas, in particular: unpaid care and domestic work, key labour market indicators, such as the gender pay gap and information and communications technology skills. In addition, many areas – such as gender and poverty, physical and sexual harassment, women’s access to assets (including land), and gender and the environment – lack comparable methodologies for reguar monitoring. Closing these gender data gaps is essential for achieving gender-related SDG commitments in Belize.
Gender data gaps and country performance
For this score, we use the 72 gender-specific SDG indicators in the Women Count Data Hub’s SDG Dashboard for the 193 UN Member States. For each indicator, we calculate the 33rd and 66th percentiles of the distribution and, based on those two values, countries are classified as belonging to high performance, medium performance and low performance categories. For more details, see the methodological note and the article “We now have more gender-related SDG data than ever, but is it enough?”
- Low performance
- Medium performance
- High performance
- Missing data
Country score - Belize
Average region score - Americas
Economic
Inclusive development, shared prosperity and decent work
1.1.1 Employed population below international poverty line. Age 15+.
- Female
- Male
1.3.1 Proportion of population above statutory pensionable age receiving a pension.
- Female
- Male
8.5.2 Unemployment rate. Age 15+.
- Female
- Male
Social
Social protection, poverty and freedom from violence, stigma & stereotypes
1.3.1 Proportion of mothers with newborns receiving maternity cash benefit.
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the adult population (%).
- Female
- Male
3.1.1 Maternal mortality ratio (Per 100,000 live births).
3.7.2 Adolescent birth rate (per 1,000 women aged 15-19 years).
Literacy rate, age 15+.
- Female
- Male
Rate of out of school children. Primary and Lower Secondary education.
- Female
- Male
5.2.1 Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls subjected to physical and/or sexual violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months. Age 15-49.
5.3.1 Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 18 (%)
-
Before age 15.
-
Before age 18.
5.4.1 Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic chores and care work. All locations.
- Female
- Male
Political
Political participation, accountability and gender-responsive institutions
5.1.1 Legal frameworks that promote, enforce and monitor gender equality (percentage of achievement, 0 - 100)
-
Area 1: overarching legal frameworks and public life
-
Area 2: violence against women
-
Area 3: employment and economic benefits
-
Area 4: marriage and family
5.5.1
-
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (% of total number of seats)
-
Proportion of elected seats held by women in deliberative bodies of local government
5.5.2
-
Proportion of women in managerial positions
-
Proportion of women in senior and middle management positions
5.c.1 Proportion of countries with systems to track and make public allocations for gender equality and women's empowerment.
Environmental
Environmental conservation, protection and rehabilitation
3.9.1 Age-standardized mortality rate attributed to household air pollution (deaths per 100,000 population).
6.1.1 Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services, by urban/rural.
7.1.2 Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology.
Gender-specific indicators
Value increased
Value decreased
Value unchanged
Low performance
Medium performance
High performance
collapse all
1. No Poverty |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age (%) | Age: 15+ | - |
- |
- |
| 1.2.1 Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (%) | Location: All areas | - |
- |
- |
| 1.2.2 Proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions | Age: All ages; Location: All areas | - |
- |
35.7 |
| 1.3.1 Proportion of population with severe disabilities receiving disability cash benefit, by sex (%) | 9.7 |
11.7 |
10.7 |
|
| 1.3.1 Proportion of mothers with newborns receiving maternity cash benefit (%) | 15.4 |
- |
- |
|
| 1.3.1 Proportion of population above statutory pensionable age receiving a pension, by sex (%) | 27.3 |
47.9 |
37.5 |
|
| 1.3.1 Proportion of unemployed persons receiving unemployment cash benefit, by sex (%) | 0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| 1.4.2 Proportion of people with legally recognized documentation of their rights to land out of total adult population, by sex (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 1.4.2 Proportion of people with secure tenure rights to land out of total adult population, by sex (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 1.b.1 Proportion of government recurrent and capital spending to sectors that disproportionately benefit women, the poor and vulnerable groups | - |
- |
- |
|
2. Zero Hunger |
||||
| 2.3.2 Average income of small-scale food producers, PPP (constant 2011 international $) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 2.3.2 Average income of large-scale food producers, PPP (constant 2011 international $) | - |
- |
- |
|
3. Good Health & Wellbeing |
||||
| 3.1.1 Maternal mortality ratio (Per 100,000 live births) | 129.79 |
- |
- |
|
| 3.1.2 Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel (%) | 94.6 |
- |
- |
|
| 3.2.1 Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) | Age: Less than one year | 8.4 |
10.3 |
9.4 |
| 3.2.1 Under-five mortality rate, by sex (deaths per 1,000 live births) | Age: Less than five years | 9.9 |
12 |
10.9 |
| 3.3.1 Number of new HIV infections per 1,000 uninfected population, by sex and age (per 1,000 uninfected population) | Age: All ages | 0.31 |
0.39 |
0.35 |
| 3.4.1 Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease (probability) | 14.3 |
18.5 |
16.5 |
|
| 3.4.2 Suicide mortality rate, by sex (deaths per 100,000 population) | 1.7 |
12.5 |
7.1 |
|
| 3.7.1 Proportion of women of reproductive age (aged 15-49 years) who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods (% of women aged 15-49 years) | Age: 15-49 | 64.9 |
- |
- |
| 3.7.2 Adolescent birth rate (per 1,000 women aged 15-19 years) | Age: 15-19 | 51.24 |
- |
- |
| 3.8.1 Universal health coverage (UHC) service coverage index | - |
- |
68 |
|
| 3.9.3 Mortality rate attributed to unintentional poisonings, by sex (deaths per 100,000 population) | 0.2 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
|
| 3.a.1 Age-standardized prevalence of current tobacco use among persons aged 15 years and older, by sex (%) | Age: 15+ | 1.9 |
15.6 |
8.8 |
4. Quality Education |
||||
| 4.1.1 Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics (%) | Education level: Grades 2/3; Type of Skill: Math | - |
- |
- |
| 4.1.1 Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics (%) | Education level: Grades 2/3; Type of Skill: Reading | - |
- |
- |
| 4.1.1 Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics (%) | Education level: Lower Secondary; Type of Skill: Math | - |
- |
- |
| 4.1.1 Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics (%) | Education level: Lower Secondary; Type of Skill: Reading | - |
- |
- |
| 4.1.1 Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics (%) | Education level: Primary; Type of Skill: Math | - |
- |
- |
| 4.1.1 Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics (%) | Education level: Primary; Type of Skill: Reading | 29.7 |
21.56 |
25.22 |
| 4.2.1 Proportion of children aged 36−59 months who are developmentally on track in at least three of the following domains: literacy-numeracy, physical development, social-emotional development, and learning (% of children aged 36-59 months) | 85.2 |
80 |
82.5 |
|
| 4.2.2 Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sex (%) | 52.25 |
46.47 |
49.29 |
|
| 4.3.1 Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training, by sex (%) | 2.69 |
34.08 |
2.17 |
|
| 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by sex and type of skill (%) | Type of skill: Using basic arithmetic formula in a spreadsheet | - |
- |
- |
| 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by sex and type of skill (%) | Type of skill: Copying or moving a file or folder | - |
- |
- |
| 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by sex and type of skill (%) | Type of skill: Using copy and paste tools to duplicate or move information within a document | - |
- |
- |
| 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by sex and type of skill (%) | Type of skill: Finding, downloading, installing and configuring software | - |
- |
- |
| 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by sex and type of skill (%) | Type of skill: Creating electronic presentations with presentation software | - |
- |
- |
| 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by sex and type of skill (%) | Type of skill: Connecting and installing new devices | - |
- |
- |
| 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by sex and type of skill (%) | Type of skill: Writing a computer program using a specialized programming language | - |
- |
- |
| 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by sex and type of skill (%) | Type of skill: Finding, downloading, installing and configuring software | - |
- |
- |
| 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by sex and type of skill (%) | Type of skill: Transferring files between a computer and other devices | - |
- |
- |
| 4.6.1 Proportion of population achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional skills, by sex, age and type of skill (%) | Age: 16-65; Type of skill: Literacy | - |
- |
- |
| 4.6.1 Proportion of population achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional skills, by sex, age and type of skill (%) | Age: 16-65; Type of skill: Numeracy | - |
- |
- |
| 4.7.1 Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development, including gender equality and human rights, are mainstreamed at all levels in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment | - |
- |
- |
|
| 4.a.1 Schools with access to access to single-sex basic sanitation, by education level (%) | Education level: Lower secondary | - |
- |
- |
| 4.a.1 Schools with access to access to single-sex basic sanitation, by education level (%) | Education level: Primary | - |
- |
- |
| 4.a.1 Schools with access to access to single-sex basic sanitation, by education level (%) | Education level: Upper secondary | - |
- |
- |
| 4.c.1 Proportion of teachers who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g. pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country, by sex and education level (%) | Education level: Lower secondary | 75.94 |
63.03 |
71.44 |
| 4.c.1 Proportion of teachers who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g. pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country, by sex and education level (%) | Education level: Pre-primary | 70.87 |
88.89 |
71.28 |
| 4.c.1 Proportion of teachers who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g. pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country, by sex and education level (%) | Education level: Primary | 89.75 |
82.97 |
88.14 |
| 4.c.1 Proportion of teachers who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g. pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country, by sex and education level (%) | Education level: Secondary | 74.63 |
65.14 |
71.22 |
| 4.c.1 Proportion of teachers who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g. pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country, by sex and education level (%) | Education level: Upper secondary | 70.72 |
70.43 |
70.61 |
5. Gender Equality |
||||
| 5.1.1 Legal frameworks that promote, enforce and monitor gender equality (percentage of achievement, 0 - 100) -- Area 1: overarching legal frameworks and public life | - |
- |
30 |
|
| 5.1.1 Legal frameworks that promote, enforce and monitor gender equality (percentage of achievement, 0 - 100) -- Area 2: violence against women | - |
- |
77.78 |
|
| 5.1.1 Legal frameworks that promote, enforce and monitor gender equality (percentage of achievement, 0 - 100) -- Area 3: employment and economic benefits | - |
- |
40 |
|
| 5.1.1 Legal frameworks that promote, enforce and monitor gender equality (percentage of achievement, 0 - 100) -- Area 4: marriage and family | - |
- |
81.82 |
|
| 5.2.1 Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls subjected to physical and/or sexual violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by age (%) | Age: 15-49 | 7.8 |
- |
- |
| 5.2.2 Proportion of women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to sexual violence by persons other than an intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by age and place of occurrence | - |
- |
- |
|
| 5.3.1 Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 15 (%) | 6.3 |
- |
- |
|
| 5.3.1 Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 18 (%) | 33.5 |
- |
- |
|
| 5.3.2 Proportion of girls and women aged 15-49 years who have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting, by age (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 5.4.1 Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic chores and care work, by sex, age and location (%) | Age: {}; Location: All areas | - |
- |
- |
| 5.5.1 Proportion of elected seats held by women in deliberative bodies of local government (%) | 31.52 |
- |
- |
|
| 5.5.1 Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (% of total number of seats) | 15.62 |
- |
- |
|
| 5.5.2 Proportion of women in managerial positions (%) | 39.41 |
- |
- |
|
| 5.6.1 Proportion of women who make their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use and reproductive health care (% of women aged 15-49 years) | Age: 15-49 | - |
- |
- |
| 5.6.2 Extent to which countries have laws and regulations that guarantee full and equal access to women and men aged 15 years and older to sexual and reproductive health care, information and education (%) | - |
- |
43 |
|
| 5.6.2 (S.1) Extent to which countries have laws and regulations that guarantee full and equal access to women and men aged 15 years and older to sexual and reproductive health care, information and education: Section 1: Maternity Care (%) | - |
- |
55 |
|
| 5.6.2 (S.2) Extent to which countries have laws and regulations that guarantee full and equal access to women and men aged 15 years and older to sexual and reproductive health care, information and education: Section 2: Contraceptive and Family Planning (%) | - |
- |
0 |
|
| 5.6.2 (S.3) Extent to which countries have laws and regulations that guarantee full and equal access to women and men aged 15 years and older to sexual and reproductive health care, information and education: Section 3: Sexuality Education (%) | - |
- |
50 |
|
| 5.6.2 (S.4) Extent to which countries have laws and regulations that guarantee full and equal access to women and men aged 15 years and older to sexual and reproductive health care, information and education: Section 4: HIV and HPV (%) | - |
- |
60 |
|
| 5.a.1 Proportion of people with ownership or secure rights over agricultural land (out of total agricultural population), by sex (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 5.a.2 Degree to which the legal framework (including customary law) guarantees women’s equal rights to land ownership and/or control (1=No evidence to 6=Highest levels of guarantees) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 5.b.1 Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 5.c.1 Proportion of countries with systems to track and make public allocations for gender equality and women's empowerment (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
8. Decent Work to Economic Growth |
||||
| 8.3.1 Proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture employment, by sex (ILO harmonized estimates) (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 8.5.1 Average hourly earnings of employees (local currency) | Type of occupation: All occupations (isco-08) | - |
- |
- |
| 8.5.2 Unemployment rate, by sex and age (%) | Age: 15+ | 15.13 |
6.84 |
10.16 |
| 8.5.2 Unemployment rate, by sex and disability (%) | Disability status: No breakdown | - |
- |
- |
| 8.6.1 Proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex and age (%) | Age: 15-24 | 41.31 |
18.99 |
30.25 |
| 8.7.1 Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | 2.6 |
3.9 |
3.3 |
|
| 8.8.1 Fatal occupational injuries among employees, by sex and migrant status (per 100,000 employees) | Migratory status: No breakdown | 0 |
8.86 |
5.19 |
| 8.8.1 Non-fatal occupational injuries among employees, by sex and migrant status (per 100,000 employees) | Migratory status: No breakdown | 321.4 |
1325.46 |
909.52 |
| 8.8.2 Level of national compliance with labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining) based on International Labour Organization (ILO) textual sources and national legislation, by sex and migrant status | - |
- |
- |
|
| 8.9.2 Proportion of jobs in sustainable tourism industries out of total tourism jobs | - |
- |
- |
|
| 8.10.2 Proportion of adults (15 years and older) with an account at a financial institution or mobile-money-service provider, by sex (% of adults aged 15 years and older) | 52.28 |
44.09 |
55.42 |
|
9. Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure |
||||
| 9.5.2 Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants | - |
- |
- |
|
10. Reduced Inequalities |
||||
| 10.2.1 Proportion of people living below 50 per cent of median income, by sex, age and persons with disabilities | - |
- |
- |
|
11. Sustainable Cities & Communities |
||||
| 11.1.1 Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing | - |
- |
- |
|
| 11.2.1 Proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport, by sex, age and persons with disabilities | - |
- |
- |
|
| 11.7.1 Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities | - |
- |
- |
|
| 11.7.2 Proportion of persons victim of physical or sexual harassment, by sex, age, disability status and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months | - |
- |
- |
|
13. Climate Action |
||||
| 13.b.1 Number of least developed countries and small island developing States that are receiving specialized support, and amount of support, including finance, technology and capacity-building, for mechanisms for raising capacities for effective climate change-related planning and management, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities | - |
- |
- |
|
16. Peace, Justice, & Strong Institutions |
||||
| 16.1.1 Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex (victims per 100,000 population) | 4.47 |
51.04 |
27.88 |
|
| 16.1.2 Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population, by sex, age and cause | - |
- |
- |
|
| 16.1.3 Proportion of population subjected to physical violence in the previous 12 months, by sex (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 16.1.3 Proportion of population subjected to robbery in the previous 12 months, by sex (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 16.1.3 Proportion of population subjected to sexual violence in the previous 12 months, by sex (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 16.2.2 Detected victims of human trafficking for forced labour, servitude and slavery, by age and sex (number) | Age: All ages | - |
- |
0 |
| 16.2.2 Detected victims of human trafficking for removal of organ, by age and sex (number) | Age: All ages | - |
- |
0 |
| 16.2.2 Detected victims of human trafficking for other purposes, by age and sex (number) | Age: All ages | - |
- |
0 |
| 16.2.2 Detected victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitaton, by age and sex (number) | Age: All ages | - |
- |
0 |
| 16.2.3 Proportion of population aged 18-29 years who experienced sexual violence by age 18, by sex (% of population aged 18-29) | Age: 18-29 | - |
- |
- |
| 16.3.1 Police reporting rate for physical assault, by sex (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 16.3.1 Police reporting rate for robbery, by sex (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 16.3.1 Police reporting rate for sexual assault, by sex (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 16.5.1 Prevalence rate of bribery, by sex (%) | - |
- |
- |
|
| 16.7.1 Ratio for female members of parliaments (Ratio of the proportion of women in parliament in the proportion of women in the national population with the age of eligibility as a lower bound boundary), Lower Chamber or Unicameral | 0.31 |
- |
- |
|
| 16.7.1 Ratio for female members of parliaments (Ratio of the proportion of women in parliament in the proportion of women in the national population with the age of eligibility as a lower bound boundary), Upper Chamber | 0.86 |
- |
- |
|
| 16.7.2 Proportion of population who believe decision-making is inclusive and responsive, by sex, age, disability and population group | - |
- |
- |
|
17. Partnership for the Goals |
||||
| 17.18.1 Proportion of sustainable development indicators produced at the national level with full disaggregation when relevant to the target, in accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics | - |
- |
- |
