^{CARIBBEAN                                                    COMMUNITY                                                       SECRETARIAT}

^{TWENTY-NINTH MEETING OF THE}                                                                                              

^{STANDING COMMITTEE OF}

^{CARIBBEAN STATISTICIANS                                                                                                       SCCS/2004/29/47}

^{Hamilton, Bermuda}                                                                                                                    

^{22-24 November 2004                                                                                                                24 November 2004}

ACHIEVING THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

IN THE CARIBBEAN

(Submitted by the CDB)

In September 2004, the CDB hosted a regional workshop in collaboration with the UNDP on “Achieving the Millennium Development Goals in the Caribbean” in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

In general, the MDGs are quite compatible with the objective of poverty reduction and social and economic development.

The MDG consists of 8 goals, 18 targets and 48 indicators, and are seen as the standard development framework around which countries are encouraged to formulate national development policies.

Country Priorities

Trinidad

Trinidad has embarked on a major long-term development plan known as the vision 2020.  This vision sets out the long term development goals of the country “to ensure that by the Year 2020 every citizen has equal opportunities to achieve his or her full potential.”

Jamaica

Attempt to integrate the MDGs in Jamaica’s country priorities.  A project "Jamaica Social Policy Evaluation" (JASPEV) was created after independent research papers and island-wide consultation to develop effective mechanisms for the improved formulation and delivery of social policy.

Saint Lucia

Pointed to the challenges it faces in achieving some of the MDGs.  High priority areas for Saint Lucia stem from the increased incidence of HIV/AIDS, neoplasms and circulatory diseases, as these continue to be unacceptably high.  Extreme poverty was reported in several communities throughout the island, while issues related to environmental sustainability, e.g. climate change, improper solid waste disposal continue to threaten the natural environment.

In general, the countries were in concert that the overarching goal was (i) Poverty eradication; (ii) there should be a commitment to the incorporation of gender analysis in all the goals to be achieved.

Specific action recommended for achieving the development goals include:

-                      employment creation;

-                      improved access to utilization and quality education and training;

-                      reduction in the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS;

-                      environmental management and hazard mitigation;

-                      debt reduction;

-                      improved social and reproductive health services;

-                      improved child health services and legislation;

-                      the introduction of wellness programmes to all age groups.

Assessing the MDGs. 

Suggestions for Caribbean specific goals.

Goal 1

Overwhelming consensus that the international poverty line of PPP $1 per day does not adequately capture poverty in the Caribbean.

Reformulate target 1 to read:

"Eliminate the proportion of persons who fall below the indigence line or halve the proportion of persons who fall below the poverty line, whichever is greater."

Exclude the indicator of PPP $1 per day.

Add:  Poverty headcount using data for both poverty line and indigence line.

Goal 2

Suitability of existing literacy data is questionable.

Reformulate target 3 to read:

"Ensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling, as well as a full course of secondary schooling up to Grade 12."

Proposal to:

1.                  Restate the goal and target to include the achievement of Universal Secondary Education;

2.                  Include indicators that speak to the quality of primary and secondary education, for example, proportion of enrolled primary school children who attend school, or the proportion of enrolled secondary students who pass an accepted minimum of subject in their final examinations; the proportion of children who complete primary level education up to Grade 5; the proportion of children who complete secondary level education up to Grade 12; and robust literacy and numeracy indicators, including definitions of these variables that are in keeping with what is realistically expected of a primary school graduate.

Goal 3

Add a target as follows:

"Eliminate gender disparities in income and occupational opportunities at all levels and in all sectors no later than 2015."

Add indicator as follows:

-                      Income differentials by sector employed by sex;

-                      Proportion of employed by occupational status by sex.

Goal 4

Drop the indicator on immunization against measles and allow countries to include if necessary and if desired, an indicator that best captures the leading cause of death among children in their societies.

Goal 5

Continue to measure this goal to ensure no revision in gains achieved in this area of development.

Goal 6

This goal is of great importance to Caribbean States.  Targets relevant.  No need for further formulation.

Need for regular Adult Sex Prevalence Survey in order to develop indicators.  (Could be achieved in collaboration with UWI and CAREC).

Proposed Indicators

(a)               HIV prevalence among 15-49 year old in the short term, with the longer term objective being the development of the required data from the documentation of antenatal attendees by age group.

(b)               Contraceptive prevalence rates with sex disaggregated data for the sub indicators of condom use among married persons; condom use among 15-24 years old; condom use by union status; condom use by type of partner; HIV knowledge of persons aged 15-24 years old who know that a person can be protected from HIV infection by using condoms.

(c)               No. of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

(d)               Prevalence and death rates associated with malaria;

(e)               Proportion of population in malaria risk areas using effective malaria prevention and treatment measures.

(f)                 Prevalence and death rates associated with tuberculosis.

Goal 7

Has assumed overwhelming relevance, due to unprecedented damage caused by Hurricane Ivan. 

Reformulate "Halving by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water" to include proper sanitation.

Goal 8

Goal assigned high priority.

Need to integrate principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources.

Conclusion

The importance of indicators to the identification of priorities, as well as to the monitoring and evaluation of progress in the attainment of these priorities cannot be over-emphasized.  The Country Poverty Assessments can easily provide data to develop benchmarks for use in measuring progress in the achievement of specific goals.

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