Prevention of Youth-Involved Violence in Belize 2012-2022

National Public Policy Proposal: Prevention of Youth-Involved Violence in Belize 2012-2022 The programme "Development of policies and initiatives at the regional level in favor of young people at social risk and in conflict with the law", is coordinated by The Public Policy Component was implemented in association with: With funding from: The total or partial reproduction of this document is permitted. The source must be acknowledged and respected the content, authoring and editing credits. The opinions, ideas and views expressed herein are not necessarily those held by either facilitating or cooperating entities. National Public Policy Proposal: Prevention of Youth-Involved Violence in Belize 2012-2022 Credits SG- SICA Erick Vilchez Giovanna Rizzi SISCA Ana Hazel Escrich Patricia Garay de Reynosa Gabriela Vélez UNFPA Maria Elena Zúñiga Herrera Verónica Simán Ondina Castillo Carolina Orellana Interpeace Ana Glenda Tager Rosado Isabel Aguilar Umaña Wendy Cuellar Arrecis Local Specialist in charge of the facilitation and redaction of the proposal / Interpeace Belize: Nicole Haylock Rodríguez Pictures: Daniel Ortiz Panos/Neil Cooper Contents 13 PRESENTATION 15 INTRODUCTION 17 ACRONYMS 21 CONCEPTUAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK 39 DIAGNOSTIC OF THE SITUATION OF VIOLENCE RELATED TO YOUTH IN BELIZE 57 PUBLIC POLICY PROPOSALS 89 REFERENCES 7 Prologue Juan Daniel Alemán SICA Secretary-General he Central American Security Strategy is an essential integrated vision geared towards the coordination Tand harmonization of actions leading to the design of policies, programs and integral strategies. The strategy has been oriented towards the development and strengthening of both national and regional management capacities within each nation, taking into consideration the asymmetry between the countries of Central America. Since 2007, Central America has adopted this shared and integrated vision which focuses on understanding and confronting the insecurity challenges facing the region as a whole. It is within this context that the General Secretariat of SICA and the Secretariat of Social Integration of Central America (SISCA) have taken the initiative to support the countries of the region in the construction of participatory public policies for the social prevention of violence. Within these public policies, there has been convergence between differing views from governments, non-state actors, and civil society, typically through non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – especially the youth- based organizations. The intent is for these resulting policies to be taken and implemented by the governing institutions responsible for violence prevention within each country. Currently, the principal challenge will be the harmonization and regional integration of the national policies for social violence prevention. The ultimate objective is to have local, national and regional articulation of common violence prevention strategies, coherent with the concept of 'democratic security' and other democratic methods, in order to achieve citizens’ security. The added value of this regional initiative has been its commitment to the development of national and regional prevention policies that are guided by a restorative philosophy, which addresses the analysis of violence and social scenarios within an interconnected context. Simultaneously, this initiative has focused on transforming conflictive human relationships into peaceful relations, as well as promoting dialogue between and among societies and building willingness among the population to promote a culture of peace and lawfullness. The General Secretariat of SICA and SISCA, through their regional representations (the Regional Commission for Social Prevention of Violence, formed by the Ministers of Security or Government of all the Countries of the Region, and the Social Integration Council, constituted by the ministers coordinators social areas), accompanied the institutionalization and implementation of these public policies for the prevention of violence within each member country of SICA, and in line with the Central American Democratic Security Model and Social Strategic Agenda. 9 10 Message from Hon. Minister Herman Longsworth Minister of State with Responsibility for Youth and Sports Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports he opportunity for greater collaboration and inter-sectoral coordination in de- Tveloping a comprehensive policy to prevent youth violence is very important and instrumental to the development of Belize. The reduction of youth violence is of top priority in our country, and the sentiments outlined in this document reflect the ap- proach our young people and partners have shared will be useful in combating crime and violence. This document will serve as a guide to ensure a safe future for Belize’s youth and our communities, and will seek to complement the Belize National Youth Policy in utilizing a Positive Youth Development approach in creating the proper mechanisms to support young people. To achieve this goal, this public policy proposal outlines seventeen (17) strategies for youth violence prevention, some of which are already being operationalized; howev- er, it illustrates a collaborative approach that must be functional in building a social protection system to ensure that youth violence prevention begins from an early age and that the family and community, as institutions of socialization, are strength- ened and supported by government and civil society. In working together, we will create a Belize where all adolescents and youth can grow in a safe environment. Sincerely, Herman Longsworth Hon. Herman Longsworth Minister of State Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports 11 Presentation oncerned by the increase in the phenomena of violence associated with youth in Central America, Cassociates of the project, "Development of Policies and Initiatives at the Regional Level in Favor of Young People at Social Risk and in Conflict with the Law”, began to pursue the development of policy proposals in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Belize. The project is co-executed by the Central American Integration System (SICA) and the Secretariat of the Social Central American Integration (SISCA) with the technical assistance and support from the International Peacebuilding Alliance (Interpeace). The project is coordinated by the Population Fund of the United Nations (UNFPA), with the financial support of the Italian Cooperation. The methodology of Interpeace is characterized by promoting processes of dialogue that integrate: research, participation and action. In Belize, the policy proposal herewithin is the result of a broad inclusive process of exchanges involving more than 150 people representing government and non- governmental institutions. Participants all had a relationship to issues of youth-associated violence prevention, including representatives of the criminal and juvenile justice system, civil society organizations, community youth organizations, as well as institutionalized youth. The dialogue, focus group discussions, and interviews were recorded and included key stakeholder representatives, government officials from the security and justice system, penitentiary workers, the Ministry of Human Development and Social Transformation, and the Ministry of Education and Youth. This policy proposal includes the main recommendations expressed by the participants in the process of consultation. It should be noted that the process was accompanied by representatives of the Youth for the Future Secretariat of the Ministry of Education and Youth. In Belize, the path of prevention runs through the generation of opportunities for children, adolescents and youth, therefore, these young adults and children are grateful for the technical and financial support provided by the Italian Cooperation, the United Nations Populations Fund 13 (UNFPA), the technical support and facilitation of consultation and coordination spaces provided by Interpeace, SG-SICA and SISCA in this national effort focusing on the prevention of violence and the promotion of social peace. Herewithin is the resulting proposal for a public policy of youth-associated violence preventionfor Belize. The policy proposed considers a timeframe of 10 years, from 2012 to 2022. This document is a tool to guide the efforts of those State officials and members of civil society who work towards the prevention of violence associated with youth; it meets Belize youths’ aspirations of a peaceful and harmonious coexistence. We believe that to have a country without violence it is necessary to invest in the human development of its population. 14 Introduction Belize has a population of approximately are those most exposed to risk factors such as 316,000 persons, 60% of whom are under 19 those subjected to institutional and structural years old. Over the last decade, the country had inequity, those living in violent, undeveloped and seen an increase in their violence indicators: in- socially divided neighborhoods, those with lim- creases in property crimes, drug-related crimes, ited parental support or guidance, those with gang-related violence, homicide and other seri- unskilled parents or guardians, those with limited ous crimes. Notably the increase is mostly in vio- access to legitimate forms of self-sustainment lence involving adolescents and the youth. and employment opportunities, and finally those with high exposure to unconventional forms of Youth involvement in violence is a common socialization (violent sub-cultural values and thread

THE EFFECTS OF TEACHER CERTIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ON PRIMARY SCHOOL EXAMINATION IN BELIZEAN PRIMARY SCHOOLS By CARMEN JANE LOPEZ Bachelor of Science in Biology Education University College of Belize Belize City, Belize 1997 Master of Arts in Educational Leadership University of North Florida Jacksonville, Florida 2002 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION July, 2012 THE EFFECTS OF TEACHER CERTIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ON PRIMARY SCHOOL EXAMINATION IN BELIZEAN PRIMARY SCHOOLS Dissertation Approved: Dissertation Adviser’s Dr. Ed Harris Dissertation Adviser Committee Member Dr. Mwarumba Mwavita Committee Member Dr. Stephen Wanger Committee Member Dr. Jesse Mendez Committee Member Dr. Pasha Antonenko Dr. Sheryl A. Tucker Dean of the Graduate College ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION . 1 History of Teacher Education in Belize . 3 Problem Statement . 4 Purpose of Study . 5 Research Questions and Hypotheses………………………………………………5 Theoretical Framework . 7

The University of Texas at Austin IC2 Institute Madison Weigand Dr. David Gibson UT Bridging Disciplines http://ic2.utexas.edu/ z EDUCATING BELIZE: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FUTURE August 2015 BELIZE IC2 2 “Belize is paying a lot for education but getting little. More youth are outside the school system than in it and many fail to make the transition to the workforce. … Action is needed if Belize is not to lose a whole generation of youth.” - Inter-American Development Bank, “Challenges and Opportunities in the Belize Education Sector”, 2013 Belize: why we’re here Belize is a small nation in Central America, bordered to the north by Mexico, by Guatemala to the west and south, and by the Caribbean Sea to the east. Estimates of the national population vary from 340,000 – 360,0001, with population density averaging at 15 people per square kilometer2. In consideration of these low figures, Belize is often the forgotten nation of the Caribbean region. The small country, approximately the size of the state of Massachusetts, is occasionally omitted on regional maps and periodically has its sovereignty threatened by threats of invasion from the neighboring Guatemalan government (Rodriguez-Boetsch 6). In spite of its status as a sidelined nation, Belize is a haven of natural resources that have long been underestimated and underutilized. The country contains a broad spectrum of ecosystems and environments that lend themselves well to agricultural, fishing, and logging industries, as well as tourism—particularly ecotourism—contributing to the Belizean economy’s heavy dependence upon primary resource extraction and international tourism and trade.

UNITED NATIONS A General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/HRC/WG.6/5/BLZ/1 18 February 2009 Original: ENGLISH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review Fifth session Geneva, 4-15 May 2009 NATIONAL REPORT SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 15 (A) OF THE ANNEX TO HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL RESOLUTION 5/1 * Belize _________________________ * The present document was not edited before being sent to the United Nations translation services. GE.09- A/HRC/WG.6/5/BLZ/1 Page 2 I. INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY 1. Belize is firmly committed to the protection and promotion of human rights as evidenced by its Constitution, domestic legislation, adherence to international treaties and existing national agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). 2. Belizean culture, democratic history and legal tradition has infused in Belizean society and government a deep respect for those fundamental human rights articulated in Part II of the Belize Constitution. Such fundamental freedoms as the right to assembly, the right to free speech and the right to due process are vigilantly guarded by Belizeans themselves. 3. As a developing country Belize views development as inextricably bound to the fulfilment of human rights making the right to development a fundamental right itself as asserted by the Declaration on the Right to Development. Thus, the Government of Belize has consistently adopted a human rights based approach in development planning, social services and general policy formulation and execution. 4. Belize’s national report for the Universal Periodic Review has been prepared in accordance with the General Guidelines for the Preparation of Information under the Universal Periodic Review, decision 6/102, as circulated adopted by the Human Rights Council on 27 September 2007.

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF BELIZE, A.D. 2004 ACTION NO. 132 ( MARIA ROCHES Applicant ( ( BETWEEN ( AND ( ( ( CLEMENT WADE ( as and representing the Managing ( Authority of Catholic Public Schools Respondent __ BEFORE the Honourable Abdulai Conteh, Chief Justice. Mr. Dean Barrow S.C. with Mrs. Magali Marin Young for the Applicant. Mr. Philip Zuniga S.C. for the Respondent. __ JUDGMENT The applicant in these proceedings, Ms. Maria Roches, who will be 25 years in May, is a teacher by profession and has taught in Roman Catholic Schools mainly in the Toledo District. She began to teach in 1999, first at the Silver Creek Roman Catholic School, then at the San Pedro Columbia Roman Catholic School and finally at the Santa Cruz Roman Catholic School. It was while a teacher at the latter school that she received a letter dated 26 June 2003 from Mr. Benjamin Juarez, who is the Assistant Local Manager of the Toledo Public Catholic Schools. This letter in effect, Ms. Roches claims, dismissed her from her position as a teacher. 2. This letter is, I think, central to this case. It states as follows: 1 “June 26, 2003 Dear Miss Maria Roches, In view of the fact that you are not complying with the contract you made with the Toledo Catholic Schools Management to live according to Jesus’ teaching on marriage and sex, this management is hereby informing you that you will be released from your duties as a teacher in this management effective August 31st, 2003. Thank you for the services rendered over the past years.

BELIZE EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACT CHAPTER 36:01 REVISED EDITION 2011 SHOWING THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2011 This is a revised edition of the Substantive Laws, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011. Education And Training [CAP. 36:01 3 CHAPTER 36:01 EDUCATION AND TRAINING ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS PART I Preliminary 1. Short title. 2. Interpretation. PART II Ministry of Education 3. General functions of the Ministry of Education. 4. Appointment of Chief Education Officer. 5. Appointment of other officers and employees. 6. Annual Report. PART III National Council for Education 7. National Council for Education. 8. Composition of the Education Council. THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2011 Printed by Authority of the Government of Belize 4 [CAP. 36:01 Education And Training 9. General functions of the Education Council. 10. Constitution of the Education Council. PART IV National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training 11. National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. 12. Composition of the TVET Council. 13. General functions of the TVET Council. 14. Constitution of the TVET Council. PART V Belize Teaching Service Commission 15. Belize Teaching Service Commission. 16. Belize Teaching Service Commission Secretariat. 17. Power and functions of the Belize Teaching Service Commission. 18. Constitution of the Commission. THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2011 Printed by Authority of the Government of Belize Education And Training [CAP. 36:01 5 PART VI Teaching Service Appeals Tribunal 19.

Belize MODERATE ADVANCEMENT In 2019, Belize made a moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The government established a Child Labor Secretariat and Inspectorate to identify, coordinate, and report on child labor cases, and created a program to conduct targeted child labor inspections. During the reporting period, the National Child Labor Committee met regularly and began updating their 2009 National Child Labor Policy by adding additional protections for children. The government also continued to fund a cash assistance program to prevent the commercial sexual exploitation of children. However, children in Belize engage in the worst forms of child labor, including in commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Children also perform dangerous tasks in agriculture and construction. The country’s minimum age for work is 12 and does not meet international standards. In addition, the country lacks prohibitions against the use of children in illicit activities and does not appear to have programs to address child labor in agriculture, except in the sugar industry. I. PREVALENCE AND SECTORAL DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD LABOR Children in Belize engage in the worst forms of child labor, including in commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Children also perform dangerous tasks in agriculture and construction. (1-3) Table 1 provides key indicators on children’s work and education in Belize. Table 1. Statistics on Children’s Work and Figure 1. Working Children by Sector, Education Ages 5-14 Children Age Percent Working (% and population) 5 to 14 1.6 (1,405) Attending School (%) 5 to 14 94.5 Agriculture Combining Work and School (%) 7 to 14 1.2 24.6% Primary Completion Rate (%) N/A 104.5 Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2018, published by UNESCO Services Industry Institute for Statistics, 2020.

University of Groningen Orthography Development for Creole Languages Decker, Ken IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below. Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Publication date: 2014 Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database Citation for published version (APA): Decker, K. (2014). Orthography Development for Creole Languages. [S.n.]. Copyright Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). The publication may also be distributed here under the terms of Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, indicated by the “Taverne” license. More information can be found on the University of Groningen website: https://www.rug.nl/library/open-access/self-archiving-pure/taverne- amendment. Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): http://www.rug.nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum. Download date: 01-10-2021 ORTHOGRAPHY DEVELOPMENT FOR CREOLE LANGUAGES KENDALL DON DECKER The work in this thesis has been carried out under the auspices of SIL International® in collaboration with the National Kriol Council of Belize.

LANGUAGE USE, LANGUAGE CHANGE AND INNOVATION IN NORTHERN BELIZE CONTACT SPANISH By OSMER EDER BALAM A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2016 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation would not have been possible without the guidance and support from many people, who have been instrumental since the inception of this seminal project on contact Spanish outcomes in Northern Belize. First and foremost, I am thankful to Dr. Mary Montavon and Prof. Usha Lakshmanan, who were of great inspiration to me at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Thank you for always believing in me and motivating me to pursue a PhD. This achievement is in many ways also yours, as your educational ideologies have profoundly influenced me as a researcher and educator. I am indebted to my committee members, whose guidance and feedback were integral to this project. In particular, I am thankful to my adviser Dr. Gillian Lord, whose energy and investment in my education and research were vital for the completion of this dissertation. I am also grateful to Dr. Ana de Prada Pérez, whose assistance in the statistical analyses was invaluable to this project. I am thankful to my other committee members, Dr. Benjamin Hebblethwaite, Dr. Ratree Wayland, and Dr. Brent Henderson, for their valuable and insighful comments and suggestions. I am also grateful to scholars who have directly or indirectly contributed to or inspired my work in Northern Belize. These researchers include: Usha Lakshmanan, Ad Backus, Jacqueline Toribio, Mark Sebba, Pieter Muysken, Penelope Gardner- Chloros, and Naomi Lapidus Shin.

EDUCATION AND MULTI CULTURAL COHESION INBELIZE, 1931-1981 by PETER RONALD HITCHEN BA (Hons) History For the award of DOCTOR of PHILOSOPHY of the UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE April 2002 ABSTRACT This thesis is concerned with the British neglect of education in Belize and the emergence of increased tensions between church and state, from the twin catalysts for social change of the 1931 hurricane and economic depression until independence in 1981. This conflict has revealed a contradictory web of power structures and their influence, through the medium of schools, on multi-cultural development. The fundamental argument is that despite a rhetoric- of-difference, a cohesive society was created in Belize rooted in the cultural values propagated through an often-contradictory church-state education system, and that Jesuit supremacy of Belizean education came too late to unsettle or exploit the grass-root forces of cultural synthesis. Racial conflict in Belize is more a matter of habitual rhetoric and superficial. The historiography of Belize falls broadly into two categories: Diplomatic and labour, nevertheless cultural and educational studies have developed most notably from Social Anthropology. An extensive literature review revealed that notwithstanding the emergence of a substantial historiography of education on the British Caribbean similar research has been neglected on Belize. Therefore, my own thesis fills a significant gap in the historiography of British Caribbean education. The PhD discusses the relationship between conflicting hierarchies within education and multi-cultural cohesion, not yet been fully attempted in any of the secondary literature. This is a proposition argued through substantial and original primary research, employing a mix of comparative empirical research and theoretical Sights influenced by historical sociologist Nigel Bolland to analyse the interactions of people at community level, the ubiquitous presence of the denominations, and political and hierarchical activities.

CHILD LABOUR AND EDUCATION IN BELIZE A Situational Assessment and In-Depth Analysis Prepared for The Central Statistical Office by Leopold L. Perriott June, 2003 Table Of Contents Executive Summary v I. Introduction 1 I.1 Basic Underlying Assumptions 1 I.2 Hypotheses of the Study 1 I.3 What is Child Labour 2 II. Social and Economic Context of Child Labour in Belize 5 II.1 Age, Ethnic and Regional Distribution of Population 5 II.2 Economic Activity, Health and Social Services 6 III. The Educational System in Belize 7 III.1 The System 7 III.2 The System’s Finance 8 III.3 Accessibility of Education 9 III.4 School Infrastructure 10 IV. Child Labour in Belize 11 IV. 1 The Child at Work and Play 11 IV.2 The Child Labourer 11 IV. 3 Nature, Causes and Consequences of Child Labour 16 IV.4 Child Labourers and Education 18 V. Further Analysis of Education and Child Labour 21 V.1 Child labourers vs. non-child labourers 21 V.2 Child labourer, main effects 21 V.3 Child labourer, interactions of factors 23 V.4 School Attendance and Educational Level as a Dependent Variables 25 V.5 Child Labour and Conditional Independence 26 V.6 Conditional Independence Results 26 VI. Conclusions and Recommendations 29 VI.1 Conclusions 29 VI.2 Recommendations 32 Appendix A: Tables 36 Appendix B: Logistic Regression Analyses 44 Appendix C: General Linear Models (GLM) Analyses 47 Appendix D: Cross-Classified Categorical Data Analyses References ii List of Figures Figure 1 Child Labourer by Age Groups and Gender 19 Figure 2 Child Labour by Age Groups and Ethnicity 21 Figure

ALTERNATIVE REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION In Anticipation of the Committee’s Review of Belize and in the Absence of a State Report Submitted by the Coalition for the Human Rights of Persons of Afro-descent in Belize and The Human Rights Commission of Belize Prepared with the assistance of Nyasha Laing, Esq. Legal Consultant Mail: [email protected] Tel. 501-604-5571 Tel. 917-771-9161 August 2, 2012 Table of Contents I. Introductory Notes 2 II. Executive Summary 2 III. Country Background 3 IV. Socio-Economic and Legal Framework 7 V. Civil Rights 16 VI. Social, Economic, and Cultural Rights 27 VII. Education and Information 30 VIII. Priority Recommendations 31 1 I. Introductory Notes This Report is addressed to the Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva and represents an alternative to the State Report for the reporting periods 1-5 in respect of the CERD. The report was prepared without the benefit of a review of a State Report, and in the absence of data customarily available through official channels. Despite the failure of the State to gather or make available demographic data relevant to the situation of afro-descendant populations vis a vis its treaty obligations under the CERD, this shadow report seeks to present the CERD Committee with a holistic portrait of the most critical structural, cultural, economic, and institutional conditions affecting Afro-descendants in Belize. Research carried out for the preparation of this report employed a four-pronged methodology: (1) extensive review of statistical data relating to social indicators affecting Afro-descendants; (2) participation in, and review of, research and literature relating to the issues surrounding juveniles and crime control in Belize; (3) youth focus groups; and (4) consultation with academics, officials, and members of civil society.

Belize MODERATE ADVANCEMENT In 2013, Belize made a moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The Government enacted a new law and amended an existing law to increase protections against the commercial sexual exploitation of children. In addition, the Government provided training on child labor issues to its labor inspectors and increased funding to a key social program to encourage school attendance. However, children in Belize continue to engage in child labor in agriculture and in the worst forms of child labor in commercial sexual exploitation. Important gaps remain in the country’s legal framework on the worst forms of child labor. In addition, the impact of many of the Government’s development and education policies and programs on child labor remains unknown. I. PREVALENCE AND SECTORAL DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD LABOR Children in Belize are engaged in child labor in agriculture and in the worst forms of child labor in commercial sexual exploitation.(1-5) Table 1 provides key indicators on children’s work and education in Belize. Table 1. Statistics on Children’s Work and Education Children Age Percent Working (% and population) 5-14 yrs. 8.3 (6,934) Attending School (%) 5-14 yrs. 93.5 Combining Work and School (%) 7-14 yrs. 8.9 Primary Completion Rate (%) 116.1 Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2012, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2014.(6) Source for all other data: Understanding Children’s Work Project’s analysis of statistics from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 4, 2011.(7) Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an overview of children’s work by sector and activity.