Employment in Belize has been a hot-button issue for the public and private sector. Approximately forty percent of the country is poor and the unemployment rate is just as dismal. The unemployment figures in 2014 have been slightly lower when compared to 2013, but the decrease in joblessness in the city was eclipsed by an […]
The Government of Belize and the Organization of American States today signed a cooperation agreement for an initiative targeting marginalized families. The three-year project, valued at two hundred and sixty thousand Belize dollars, is financed through the Development Cooperation Fund of the O.A.S., and will be implemented by the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation […]
According to C.E.O. Alpuche, the ministry is working with the O.A.S. and the United Nations to ensure that the BOOST program evolves. Alpuche says the pilot project goes beyond cash transfers to now strengthen family units. Judith Alpuche, C.E.O., Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation “Looking at families and what is […]
Earlier in our newscast you heard PM Dean Barrow speaking about what he called excessive force being used by Mayans to unlawfully detain a black Creole Belizean. Much has been said about that issue which exploded on Saturday, and today P.U.P. Toledo West Area Representative Oscar Requeña told the media that the incident could have […]
Requeña says that Saturday’s events were precipitated by the very aggressive behaviour of Rupert Myles when he attended a meeting following months of being invited to speak to village leaders. Oscar Requeña, Area Representative. Toledo West “On Saturday, which was June the twentieth; he came, he barged into the community center, he slammed the […]
The United States Supreme Court ruled earlier today that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right throughout the U.S.; it is considered a historic victory for gay rights advocates. The decision, which strikes down bans against gay marriage that had previously existed in fourteen states, comes after decades of protest and litigation on behalf of the […]
According to the executive director of the United Belize Advocacy Movement, UNIBAM, while a legal decision is one thing, it does not necessarily deal with the issue of living with prejudice and stereotypes. Isani Cayetano “Clearly there is a long road ahead to get to where the United States is, in terms of recognizing […]
Teenage pregnancy is a growing issue for Belize and the wider Caribbean region, and more so as the teen moms are of a younger age every year. The call for action has sounded loudly again and this time, the spouses of Heads of Government from around the Caribbean answered. Special Envoy for Women and Children […]
World Day Against Child Labour is observed on June twelve. It’s an opportunity for the globe to raise its voice against child labour and at the same time make a call for all children to have a right to education. In May, the Statistical Institute of Belize and the International Labour Organization launched the findings […]
It didn’t make it in the news on Thursday, but the U.S Embassy did send out a release issuing condolences to Paul Signorino and Julian Jones, the two American nationals who were killed a week ago in Teakettle. In that same release, the U.S Embassy said that it’s a strong proponent of citizen security that […]
The Department of Youth Services held its open day today, and they were showing off major developments. After months of trying to install a music studio in Collet Division, Education Minister Patrick Faber was able to do so at the Department’s Office on Regent Street. Through an education grant from the Southside Poverty Alleviation Fund, […]
What’s the sentiment of Belizeans on LGBT persons? A poll that was done about a year and a half ago shows that people are generally more accepting and that Belize is only one of two countries polled in the Caribbean of which this can be said. Another survey tested attitudes and shows public support for […]
For years Friends for Conservation and Development has been battling the illegal incursions of Guatemalans into the Chiquibul National Park. These Guatemalans come to cut our timber, harvest our xate, pan for our gold and some even cultivate sizable farms on our land. It’s been an uphill struggle for the FCD, faced with the sheer […]
So where does the Organization of American States fit into the encroachment equation at the Chiquibul National Park? The answer is that it hasn’t, not in a meaningful way at least. The Guatemalan encroachers have never respected the so-called adjacency zone, and nobody in authority seems to care much. But with the new development at […]
With the election of Ambassador Nestor Mendez as Assistant Secretary-General of the O.A.S., all eyes will be on the dynamics of the relationship between Belize and Guatemala. That relationship is mediated by the O.A.S., and in the past that organization has been accused of extreme reticence where Guatemala is concerned. For example, there is an […]
Across the world, International Women’s Month was celebrated on March eight. Here at home, we continue the month long observance with the Women’s Department promoting several events including medical clinics, expos, awareness fairs and exhibits across the country. Today, we spoke with the National Women’s Commission which serves as an advisory body to the government […]
Using the common concept of TIME OUT, UNICEF today launched a campaign encouraging adults to stop and think before using violent methods against children. The idea is to prompt adults to choose alternative methods to communicate with children based on relationships, understanding, love and respect. The first in a series of videos centers on verbal […]
The protection of minor’s identity in sensitive cases, such as molestation and rape, has long been priority for agencies concerned about the rights of children. In the recent, highly publicized case of Orange Walk East area representative, Doctor Marco Tulio Mendez, the identity of the minors has not been disclosed in reporting. But on Wednesday, […]
There is another event taking place in the city over the weekend. An exhibition entitled “My Story” opens at the image factory on Friday. Not many L.G.B.T. persons are open about their lifestyle choices because they are sometimes shunned by society and their own families. To reduce the stigma associated with being a L.G.B.T., UNIBAM’s […]
In late November, the Getaway Youth Center was officially opened at the Gwen Lizarraga Compound in Belize City. The initiative is aimed at assisting youths to safely develop skills to reintegrate into society an live productive lives. This morning, another component of the Community Action for Public Safety Project was launched at the Youth Hostel […]
In Jamaica, a trial is taking place in which former Professor Brendan Bain is challenging the University of the West Indies for wrongful dismissal. Bain was terminated after he gave expert witness statements in the trial against the Attorney General of Belize in which the Executive Director of UNIBAM challenged Section Fifty-Three of the Criminal […]
A Rights Inclusion Conference was held today at the Radisson Fort George in Belize City. The event which is a collaborative effort between the Women’s Issues Network, better known as WIN-Belize, and the United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM) seeks to spark a discussion that human rights extend to every human being, and does not discriminate […]
The conference saw the participation of representatives from various sectors—including social, environment and health—and is part of a larger public education strategy to get citizens to think about the issues in their communities and to understand that human rights are everyone’s business. According to Orozco, the conference hopes to advance rights among marginalized groups. […]
Today, Women’s Issues Network WIN-Belize launched “Broken Images,” a report on Gender Based Violence with a focus on Belizean Youth. The research, which was done in collaboration with the Women’s Department, was carried out last year. Over one hundred and fifty youth and women between the ages of fourteen and sixty-four from high schools, non-government […]
Today is international day of human rights. Coinciding with activities being held was the launch of a SICA-led initiative to prevent violence against women in Central America. This morning, at the Biltmore dozens of stakeholders across various sectors, including the Women’s Department and other similar organizations, gathered for the introduction. At a cost of one […]
