O VERVIEW

國

立 政 治 大 學

‧

N a

tio na

l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS

5.1 Overview

There are unequal statistics affecting women world wide in terms of education, health care and overall empowerment. Women tend to be more illiterate than men, accounting for two thirds of the world’s 774 million adult illiterates. (United Nations Statistics Division, 2010) . Women, specifically from poor backgrounds, endure difficulties to access basic maternity and reliable health care services. According to the United Nations inter-agency in 2013, women accounted for 210 deaths per 100,000 live births. (UNICEF Data, 2013). Women also continue to be underrepresented in national parliaments; where on average only 22 percent of seats are occupied by women (Women in National

Parliaments, 2015)

Achieving equality between men and women has become a significant global matter, underscored by the eight Millennium Development Goals and acknowledged as being the key to poverty reduction and achieving the other seven goals. According to the World Bank, resources in the hands of women promotes large development advantages (World Bank Group, 2014)

Despite global awareness women continue to endure suffering, specifically in the developing world. In Honduras poverty and inequality are significant developmental problems with 66.2 percent of the population living in poverty, and 45.3 percent in extreme poverty. (National Institute of Statistics, 2010). In this critical condition woman are victims of the stemming inequality, among more than 150 countries, including all Central American¹⁵ countries, Honduras ranks 99 in the GII index, proving harsher conditions for the female population. (United Nations Development Programme Reports, 2013).

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

15Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost portion of the North

‧

立 政 治 大 學

‧

N a

tio na

l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y

In 2009 a coup d’etat in the country proved to polarize the government, worsening the situation and leaving a political crisis with several financial challenges, a lack of international recognition, and a vacillating economy impacting the most vulnerable.

(Cassel, 2009)

To further comprehend gender inequality in Honduras a qualitative research about the relationship between foreign aid and gender equality, concentrating on the years after the coup d’état, was necessary, focusing on the impact international cooperation funds have on gender equality. The study provides an evaluation of the impact Official Development Assistance has on three variables used to measure gender equality such as education, measured by the female to male primary and secondary enrollment, health, measured by the ratio of maternal mortality and, empowerment, measured by the proportion of seats held by women in the national parliament.

The current situation of gender equality in Honduras in terms of education showcases a positive correlation between development assistance and primary and secondary

enrollment. According to the World’s Bank Data Base, Honduras ranks 100 in The Ratio of female to male primary enrollment. For every 100 boys there are 100 girls enrolled in primary education in the years 2009, 2010 and 2012, which is the most recent and available information (World Bank Group, 2013).

The ratio of female to male secondary enrollment in Honduras is also positive for girls.

For every 100 boys there are 123 girls enrolled in secondary education in the year 2010 and 122 girls enrolled in the years 2011 and 2012.The ratio of female to male primary and secondary enrollment in Honduras is actually the highest in all Central American countries since 2009, until most recent available data, 2012, with only Nicaragua with no available information for adequate comparison.

‧

In terms of the impact Official Development Assistance (ODA) has on this particular variable, there is an increase of 1 percent of ODA found in the year 2010 and a constant ratio of female to male primary enrolment during that year, for every 100 boys there have been a constant 100 girls enrolled in primary school. As for secondary female to male ratio of enrolment in the years 2010-2011, the country remained constant in a 4 percent of total ODA and dropped from 123 to 122 girls for every 100 boys enrolled in secondary school, over the same time period. With a constant 107 of Aid effectiveness calculated in the last three years of available information, The World Bank considers that aid directed to primary and secondary enrolment rates in Honduras is effective. Other factors such as content and quality, that may increase or decrease gender unequal roles in the country, should be taken into consideration for future studies relating education and gender.

Concerning health and gender equality, tremendous improvement has been made for women if compared to the critical situation that prevailed in the country regarding maternal mortality in previous years. Maternal mortality became a health priority and according to the World Bank, Honduras has a ratio of 120 per 100,000 live births in both the years 2010 and 2013, which is the most and only recent information after the coup d’etat. Although Honduras has come along way from the numbers in the 1990’s that reached 207 per 100,000. There is still a long way to go in order to achieve international goals and reduce the maternal mortality ratio in the country. The initial desired outcomes exposed by the MDG’s were to reduce maternal mortality ratio from 120 per 100,000 live births to 60 per 100,000 live births by 2015, taking into consideration last reported data, the international goal seems ambitious and almost impossible to achieve. Previous international interventions shaped health and domestic policies, making maternal mortality a national priority. In the present, both years 2010 and 2011 of constant aid flows at 4 percent of the country’s GDP the maternal mortality remained at 120 per 100,000 live births. With a decrease of ODA of 1 percent in 2012, the ratio of maternal mortality in Honduras remained at the at cosntant 120 per 100,000 live births. According to the World Bank’s aid effectiveness with a constant 120 per 100,000 life births

calculated in the last three years of available information, aid directed to maternal

‧

立 政 治 大 學

‧

N a

tio na

l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y

Other variables such as birth control; women’s reproductive freedom, education among others needs to be considered for further studies regarding the subject matter.

An essential and final factor to evaluate the current situation and impact of foreign aid on gender equality in Honduras is empowerment. According to the World Banks’ database, as part of a global phenomenon, no countries in Central America meet adequate

percentages for women holding seats in national parliaments. In the past five years, Honduras showcases an increase in 2011 and an unchanging pattern with 20 percent in the years 2010 through 2014. Honduras has lower representation than Costa Rica and Nicaragua by almost half after 2011. As in the rest of the world, women are under-represented in elected office in Honduras. In 2008 there was an 18 percent of seats held by women in the National Parliament and in 2009, the year of the coup, there was a clear decrease of 1 percent of ODA, according to the most recent and available information. In 2010, with an increase of a 1 percent there where 2 percantage points increase in the proportion of seats held by women in National parliament. In the past three years of available information, from 2010 to 2012, according to the World Bank, Honduras showcases a positive trend for aid effectiveness. Variables such as culture, religion, corruption and poor politics may be powerful variables to determine the critical global phenomenon of women’s political misrepresentation, where Honduras clearly still lags behind.

‧

立 政 治 大 學

‧

N a

tio na

l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y