Caribbean Youth Development: Issues and Policy Directions Is Part of the World Bank Country Study Seriles
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A W O R L D B A N K C O U N T R Y S T U D Y Caribbean Youth Public Disclosure Authorized Development Issues and Policy Directions 25955 May 2003 Public Disclosure Authorized ,|fi,- v~~~~A Public Disclosure Authorized ~~ THE, WOL BANK Public Disclosure Authorized THE WORLD BANK Copyright C) 2003 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of Amzrica First printing: May 2003 1 2 34 05 0403 World Bank Country Studies are among tl1e many reports originally prepared for internal use as part of the continuing analysis by the Bank of the economic and related conditions of its develop- ing member countries and to facilitate its dialogues with the governments. Some of the reports are published in this series with the least possible delay for the use of governments, and the academic, business, financial, and development commnunities. 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CONTENTS Foreword .............................................................. vii Preface .............................................................. ix Acronyms .............................................................. xi Executive Summary ...................................................... xii 1. Introduction .. 1............................... Background and Justification ................................................ 1 Objectives, Approach, and Data Sources ........................................ 2 Caribbean Context ........................................................ 3 Report Organization ....................................................... 4 2. Framework for Analyzing Caribbean Youth ................................. 7 Definitions .............................................................. 7 Conceptual Framework ..................................................... 9 3. Negative Behaviors and Outcomes Observed among Caribbean Youth ........... 15 Early Sexual Initiation and Pregnancy ......................................... 15 Risky Sexual Behavior and HIV/AIDS ........................................ 17 Physical and Sexual Abuse .................................................. 17 School Leaving .......................................................... 19 Unemployment .......................................................... 20 Crime and Violence ....................................................... 21 Substance Abuse and Drug Dealing .......................................... 23 Social Exclusion ......................................................... 24 4. Sources of Positive and Negative Youth Outcomes ........................... 27 Individual .............................................................. 28 Microenvironment . ....................................................... 30 Macroenvironment ....................................................... 37 Interconnectedness of Factors ............................................... 41 Final Thoughts .......................................................... 42 5. The Costs of Risky Adolescent Behavior ................................... 43 Crime and Violence ....................................................... 44 Risk-Taking Sexual Activity: Adolescent Pregnancy ............................... 47 Risk-Taking Sexual Activity: HIV/AIDS ....................................... 50 Unemployment .......................................................... 53 School Leaving .......................................................... 55 Final Thoughts .......................................................... 58 6. Youth Development Policies and Programs ................................ 59 Caribbean Youth Policies ............................................... 59 Youth Services and Programs in the Caribbean Region ............................ 59 Regional Programs ....................................................... 65 iii IV CONTENTS Youth Policies and Programs: The International Context .......................... 68 Final Thoughts ......................................... 70 7. Conclusions and Recommendations ............................ 73 The House Is on Fire .............................. 73 Moving Forward-Youth Development Principles anid Actions ..................... 76 Appendix 1 Methodological Description for Chapter 4 ......................... 83 Appendix 2 Lifetime Earnings Figures ...................................... 89 Appendix 3 Methodology for Cost Calculations, Chapter5 ..................... 93 Appendix 4 Caribbean Youth Policies and Prognums .......................... 103 Bibliography ........ 123 LIST OF TABLES 1-1: Total Population by Age Group for Selected Carib bean Countries . 3-1: Fertility Rates per 1,000 Women, Age 15-19 .16 3-2: Reported Cases of AIDS by Age Group, Caribbean Region .18 3-3: Youth and Adult Unemployment in the Caribbean .20 3-4: Unemployment levels in the Dominican Republic by Age Group, Urban or Rural Residence, and Sex .21 3-5: Prosecuted Crime in Jamaica by Age Group .22 4-1: The Relationship Between Experiencing Abuse and Emotional Distress .30 4-2: Predicted Probabilities that a Caribbean Youth will be Violent Based on degree of Protective Factors, by Gender .................................. 42 5-1: Victim Compensation of Tangible and Intangible Costs of Crimes, United States ... .45 5-2: Estimated Economic Cost of Youth Crime, in Local Currency .................. 46 5-3: Estimated Increase in Tourist Flows and Expenditures ........................ 47 5-4: Estimated Social Costs of Adolescent Pregnancy Relative to Young Adult Pregnancy .49 5-5: Per Capita US$ Costs of HIV/AIDS and Program Costs as a Proportion of Current Health Spending ................................... 51 5-6: Forgone Economic Output due to AIDS .................................. 51 5-7: Orphans Whose Parents Died of AIDS-Related Illnesses ....................... 52 5-8: Higher GDP (%) if Youth Unemployment Rate is Lower ...................... 54 5-9: Net Discounted Lifetime Earnings Relative to Primary School per School Leaver .... 56 Al-1: FactorsAssociated with Risk Bebaviors, by Risk Behavior and Country............... 85 Al-2: PopulationEstimates and Sample .Size from ParticipatizgCaribbean Countries ...... 87 A3- 1: Annual Prosecution of Youth ................................................ 94 A3-2: Classification of Cost Components ofAdolescent Motherhood ....................... 97 A3-3: Relevantyears of unemployment rate ......................................... 99 A3-4: Number of Students Who Did Not Finish the .Respectipie Grade Level ............ 101 A4- 1: Overview of National Youth Programs, Policies and Laws Related to Youth in Select Caribbean Countries . 104 CONTENTS V A4-2: Human Rights Instruments Ratified or Acceded Related to the Rights of Youth .... 108 A4-3: Main Organizations Providing Services to Youth-At-Risk, St. Lucia ............. 110 A4-4: Selected Public Agency/NGOs Providing Services to Youth-At-Risk, Caribbean . .112 A4-5: Selected NGOs Providing Services to Youth-At-Risk in Jamaica ................ 113 A4-6: Jamaica Public Programs for Youth, Fiscal Year 1999/2000 ................... 114 A4-7: Trinidad and Tobago Skills Training and Employment Programs ............... 115 A4-8: Jamaica Safety Net Programs Benefiting Youths, 1998 ....................... 116 A4-9: Trinidad and Tobago Safety Net Programs Benefiting Youths ..... ............. 117 A4-10: Overview of Youth Serving Donor Programs in the Caribbean ................. 118 LIST OF FIGURES 2-1: Caribbean Frameworks of Risk and Protective Factors for Adolescent and Subsequent Adult Development .............................