Table 6: Labor force participation among young people age 15-19 according to 2010 Belize Census, by age, sex, district and area of residence Area of residence Corozal Orange Walk Belize Cayo Stann Creek Toledo RURAL URBAN TOTAL Corozal Orange Walk Belize Cayo Stann Creek Toledo RURAL URBAN TOTAL
Employed 14.2 13.2 12.5 11.8 14.0 13.5 15.1 10.1 12.9 41.7 40.0 24.3 30.9 32.9 34.8 38.4 24.1 32.3
Not in Unemployed labor force Females 15-19 21.0 64.8 19.5 67.3 23.0 64.5 26.3 61.9 14.1 71.9 23.0 63.5 23.3 61.6 20.6 69.3 22.1 65.0 Males 15-19 20.1 13.4 21.3 24.8 15.2 16.9 20.2 19.2 19.8
38.2 46.6 54.4 44.3 51.9 48.3 41.4 56.7 47.9
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: 2010 Belize Census (authors’ analysis of 10% sample)
In many societies, as girls age they experience a great deal of pressure to begin sexual relations, marry, bear child and take on household responsibilities. Each of these pressures, if not met with the skills and support necessary to make healthy and safe decisions, can derail a young female in ways that may be impossible to reverse. Although boys face similar pressures, gender norms create a situation where the balance of power is in their advantage. In Belize, the high rates of early childbearing, the relatively low rates of school attendance among older school-age girls and the very low employment rates highlight the circumstances with which girls must contend on a daily basis. The competing interests of school, work, marriage and family require empirical evidence to fully understand. Figures 5 and 6 show the different activities in which girls from rural and urban areas are engaged to highlight how these issues change over time. They show the proportion of each age that is engaged in the particular activity.
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