Belize

The United Nations in Belize

Aerial view of Belmopan, Belize.
Photo: © United Nations

The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) works to support the Government of Belize, civil society, non-governmental organizations and the private sector in strengthening national capacities to achieve sustainable and inclusive human development. The UNCT values its engagement with all stakeholders, including government, bilateral and multilateral donors, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector. As such, the UNCT seeks to consistently build upon its position as a key development partner, most notably by creating and reinforcing partnerships and supporting platforms for meaningful dialogue.

The UNCT is committed to supporting Belize to achieve its national development priorities and international development commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and uphold the core principles and values of all United Nations human rights treaties.

The Country Team's engagement with national stakeholders is guided by the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UN MSDCF), which defines how the UN will jointly achieve development results in partnership with 18 English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries and Overseas Territories for the period 2022-2026.

These countries are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Curaҫao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The framework aims to ensure that no one is left behind in national development efforts and exemplifies the belief that the development challenges common to all Caribbean countries require a coherent and coordinated response by the UN.

Milestones

1

An Inclusive, Equitable and Prosperous Caribbean. Increase access to quality education; promote competitive and sustainable industrialization activities; support SMEs in enhancing manufacturing value-added and their insertion into the regional and global value chain; and improve social protection, through the promotion of decent work opportunities, entrepreneurship, and enhanced social protection programmes.

2

A Healthy Caribbean. Strengthen the ability of the State to provide universal access to equitable, quality services and healthy nutrition, and to harness the knowledge needed for prevention of diseases, including non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the major causes of illness and death in the region. In 2017 PAHO/WHO, UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF worked collaboratively under the leadership of the Ministry of Health along with other national partners towards achieving the GSDS necessary condition of adequate access to health care. 

3

A Safe, Cohesive, and Just Caribbean. Support the reform and enhancement of key security and justice institutions and strengthen legal and policy frameworks to promote transparency and accountability, with a view to preventing corruption. The UN System will also assist in developing alternate dispute resolution capacity within institutions and communities, and foster greater social cohesion in countries.

4

A Sustainable and Resilient Caribbean. Strengthen institutional and community resilience at both regional and national levels, in terms of natural resources management; the protection and sustainable use of terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems; renewable energy systems; and inclusive and sustainable societies; an integrated approach to the sustainable use and management of the natural resources and ecosystems.

5

Universal Access to Quality Health Care Services and Systems Improved. In 2017, Belize’s national malaria programme reoriented its activities to enhance surveillance through greater focus on where malaria transmission is most likely to occur, known as risk stratification. This approach aimed to make malaria interventions more targeted and reached the communities and people most likely to be infected

6

Belize elaborated and presented its first voluntary national report. In July 2017 with the collective support of UN agencies, Belize presented its VNR to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Further to the HLPF guidance, the country report focused on SDGs 1,3,5 and 14. The UNCT support was provided at various levels throughout the process with UNDP, UNDESA, UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women and PAHO/WHO providing technical and financial support to the report preparation, participation in consultation and validation sessions.  UNICEF developed SDG briefs highlighting the impact for children related to all SDGs.

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The Sustainable Development Goals in Belize

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Belize: