Central America Region Appeal No. 01.50/2003
- Countries
- Costa Rica
- + 6 more
- Sources
- IFRC
- Publication date
2003
(In CHF) |
20042
(In CHF) |
|
1. Health and Care |
827,669
|
556,119
|
2. Disaster Management |
624,171
|
450,610
|
3. Humanitarian Values |
221,711
|
186,336
|
4. Organizational Development |
1,804,684
|
1,296,568
|
5. Federation Coordination |
284,920
|
239,460
|
6. International Representation |
112,139
|
94,246
|
Total
|
3,875,3231
|
2,823,333
|
2 These are preliminary budget figures for 2004, and are subject to revision.
Introduction
Due to the varying levels of development of the National Societies in the region - a direct reflection of the political and socio-economic diversity of the countries themselves - there exists a wide range of Red Cross realities and therefore a spectrum of priorities which guide each of them in their day to day work. For details on each of the National Societies in the Central American region: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama, please see the individual country strategy documents.
Regional Context
Indicator
|
Mexico
|
Guatemala
|
El Salvador
|
Honduras
|
Nicaragua
|
Costa Rica
|
Panama
|
Country ranking HDI | 54 | 120 | 104 | 116 | 118 | 43 | 57 |
Total population (millions) | 98.9 | 11.4 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 5.1 | 4.0 | 2.9 |
% of the population living below $1/day | 15.9 | 10 | 21.0 | 24.3 | - | 12.6 | 14.0 |
% of the population living below national poverty line | 10.1 | 57.9 | 48.3 | 53.0 | 50.3 | 22 | 37.3 |
GDP per capita (US$) | 9,023 | 3,821 | 4,497 | 2,453 | 2,366 | 8,650 | 6,000 |
Infant mortality per 1,000 live births | 25 | 44 | 34 | 32 | 37 | 10 | 20 |
Under 5 mortality per 1,000 live births | 30 | 59 | 40 | 40 | 45 | 12 | 26 |
Maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births | 55 | 190 | 120 | 110 | 150 | 29 | 70 |
% of births attended by skilled health staff | 86 | 41 | 51 | 54 | 65 | 98 | 90 |
% of total population undernourished | 5 | 22 | 12 | 21 | 29 | 5 | 16 |
% of population using improved water sources | 86 | 92 | 74 | 90 | 79 | 98 | 87 |
% of population using adequate sanitation facilities | 73 | 85 | 83 | 77 | 84 | 96 | 94 |
% of people living with HIV/ AIDS | 0.28 | 1.00 | 0.60 | 1.60 | 0.20 | 0.55 | 1.50 |
Annual population growth rate % | 1.2 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
% of population under 15 yrs of age | 33.1 | 43.6 | 35.6 | 41.8 | 42.6 | 32.4 | 31.3 |
% of population aged 65 and above | 6.8 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 5.1 | 5.5 |
Net primary school enrolment ratio % | 100 | 83 | 81 | - | - | - | - |
Adult illiteracy rate % Male age 15 + | 6.6 | 23.9 | 28.4 | 25.3 | 33.7 | 4.5 | 7.5 |
Adult illiteracy rate % Female age 15 + | 10.5 | 38.8 | 23.9 | 25.5 | 33.2 | 4.3 | 8.7 |
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama are characterized by medium to high human development. However, in comparison with the rankings in 2001, each of the countries is lower on the index in 2002. Modest economic growth in 2002 has tended to benefit the wealthy elite and has done little to reduce the major inequalities that have long characterized economies in the region. The chart below shows HDI rankings in 2002, as compared to those in 1975.
Source: Human development report 2002
|
HDI Ranking 2002
|
Rankings compared to 1975
|
Rankings compared to 1999
|
Human Development
|
Costa Rica
|
43
|
down 3
|
up 2
|
high
|
Mexico
|
54
|
-
|
down 4
|
medium
|
Panama
|
57
|
down 1
|
down 8
|
medium
|
El Salvador
|
104
|
up 3
|
up 3
|
medium
|
Honduras
|
116
|
down 3
|
down 2
|
medium
|
Nicaragua
|
118
|
down 9
|
up 3
|
medium
|
Guatemala
|
120
|
down 1
|
down 3
|
medium
|
A majority underclass of landless peasants and urban unemployed is expanding, with thousands migrating each year from rural areas to the cities. Currently more than 60% of the region's population resides in or around major cities, and the trend toward urbanization continues unabated. Furthermore, environmental degradation, particularly deforestation, increases vulnerability to natural disasters.
Along with the inevitable toll in deaths and property damages wrought by repeated natural disasters in the Americas, recent advances in social and economic development have also been disrupted, and in many cases, turned back completely. In Honduras, it is estimated that an additional 165,000 people fell below the poverty line due to losses in property and income resulting from hurricane Mitch. Health professionals in El Salvador claim that the 2001 earthquakes set back coverage for some water and sanitation services by 20 years. Likewise, fluctuations in the incidence of previously controlled infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, dengue and cholera reflect increased health risks and greater dispersion of services following disasters. The report on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic by UNAIDS warns, "the epidemic in Latin America and the Caribbean is well established and is in danger of spreading both more quickly and more widely in the absence of effective responses". It further states "among the factors helping to drive the spread of HIV is the combination of unequal social economic development and high population mobility". In Central America the epidemic is worsening chiefly among socially marginalized populations.
Central America is characterized by vast divides between different social groups: between rich and poor, men and women and between indigenous and non-indigenous populations. This inequity has led to extreme poverty and excluded many from access to social services and the benefits of development. Alongside major cities are vast zones of poverty and low productivity, generally in rural areas and along the borders.
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