The "Belize Scorecard and Outlook Report 2010" was released yesterday in Belmopan. The report measures Belize's progress against the eight millennium development goals or MDG's as they are called.
Seeing that the MDG's are all about reducing poverty, progress could not have been great since Belize has a crushing 43% poverty rate.
But progress has been made in other areas - including the laudable zero maternal deaths in 2011.
Economic Development Minister Erwin Contreras highlighted these at yesterday's ceremony in Belmopan:..
Hon. Erwin Contreras - Minister of Economic Development
"Today we can celebrate how well the country has performed in reaching some of the goals particularly those related to improving maternal health, reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and ensuring access to clean water. However, it is of critical importance that today will also highlight the areas where we make partial progress as those areas will remain very high in the political agenda going forward."
"I am referring particularly to the challenges we face in relation to poverty reductions, employment generation, access to sanitation and gender equality."
"Achieving the goals will require equitable and inclusive economic growth. Growth that reaches everyone. Growth that will enable all people - especially the poor and marginalized - to benefit from economic opportunities."
Dr. Peter Allen - CEO Ministry of Health
"In Belize, my friends, our national system has made steady progress. We can boast more than 95% vaccination coverage. Under 90% reduction in the risk of mother to child transmission to HIV. For the first time in our history we have recorded 0 maternal deaths for a full year."
"Meanwhile our UN partners have advised us that Belize has received the pre-eradication phase for malaria moving from over 7,000 cases a few year ago to less than 100 last year."
According to the figures, Belize is moving towards another goal as the under-five mortality rates are already reduced by two thirds and the universal access to primary education, is well under way with net enrollment reaching 95% in 2011. Nonetheless, many areas such as the poverty rate, employment generation, and access to improved sanitation need to be worked on. The target date for meeting the goals is 2015.
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