Youth Poverty and Development in Antigua and Barbuda

Background

This situational analysis examines issues related to youth in Antigua and Barbuda from economic and socio-political perspectives, identifying risks and opportunities that currently face this population. Background information on the island nation is provided, with its economic dependence on tourism and high levels of unemployment identified as the most salient features in relation to the issues at hand. A brief methodological description of the review process is given, followed by a summary of findings. Antigua and Barbuda, despite having a relatively strong economy and social structure compared to other Caribbean and Latin American nations, still faces certain challenges when it comes to meeting the needs of the more than fifty percent of its youth who live in poverty. Recommendations for expanding government and non-governmental programs aimed at promoting food and shelter security for children are offered, and concluding remarks situate the problems of youth in Antigua and Barbuda within a larger global context.

First utilized by the British as a naval station, the somewhat sheltered and typically mild-weathered island of Antigua is now one of the top tourist destinations in the Caribbean (Antigua-Barbuda.org, 2012). The nation also includes the nearby island of Barbuda, which has been home to more shipwrecks than ships; however, this much smaller island is less significant in terms of the socioeconomic factors affecting the country (Antigua-Barbuda.org, 2012; CIA, 2012). A quarter of the population of the islands is under the age of fifteen, yet unemployment already stands at twenty percent and will only worsen as today's children begin seeking jobs (CIA, 2012).

Tourism makes up at least sixty percent of the nation's economy by direct measures, with agriculture producing only two percent of GDP and industry accounting for approximately twenty percent. The remaining seventy-eight percent of the economy is made up of service jobs, all of which add up to an average per-capita GDP of just over $17,000 — though many jobs pay significantly less (CIA, 2012). Though the nation remains a popular destination, it received a major financial blow from the recent global recession and is still struggling to recover (Antigua-Barbuda.org, 2012; CIA, 2012).

Goals and Objectives

The goal of this situational analysis is to lead to recommendations for how the lives and situations of children in Antigua and Barbuda can be improved through an enhancement of their socioeconomic status. Specific research objectives that support this goal include: an identification of current issues facing children in Antigua and Barbuda that are significantly different from issues faced by similar populations; an identification of problems affecting the health and direct well-being of children in the country; and an identification of issues affecting educational attainment and thus future job prospects and other opportunities. It is assumed, given the nation's overall economic status, that children will be seen as a disadvantaged group in need of some form of international assistance. This analysis will briefly outline these needs and provide recommendations for meeting them.

As the practicalities of conducting primary research are beyond the scope of current resources, the methodology employed for this situational analysis consists of a review of currently available research and governmental and NGO reports regarding the safety, health, and overall situation of children in Antigua and Barbuda. Given the limited scope of the research goals and objectives, in-depth reviews of empirical data and primary research are not deemed necessary, as governmental and NGO data and prepared reports are likely to be more accurate and comprehensive than individual pieces of academia-driven research.

Methodology

The use of several different sources to assess both the risks and the opportunities currently facing children in Antigua and Barbuda will help ensure objectivity and accuracy, with further research possible should any significant discrepancies among the reports examined be found. This type of secondary analysis — or brief literature review — is well established as an investigative and informative tool, and should carry strong credence with researchers and other parties interested in the welfare of the nation's children.

Just over half of the children living in Antigua and Barbuda are living in poverty, though this figure may shift as new standards for measuring poverty recently established by the United Nations to specifically assess children in the Caribbean are applied more consistently (Foundation for the Development of Caribbean Children [FDCC], 2012; Antigua Observer, 2012). Currently, the government's resources are stretched quite thin, and while some assistance in the form of preschooling and food distribution is available for impoverished children, this assistance is extremely limited and not at all adequate to meet the growing needs of children and their families (FDCC, 2012). Economic trends in the larger population also necessarily affect children, including the unemployment rate near twenty percent, which has contributed to many families' impoverishment (CIA, 2012; Antigua Observer, 2012).

Summary of Findings

Children affected by poverty hold very mixed perceptions of how poverty is created and defined, as well as the effects it has. Many children assume they are not poor because they are not as frequently hungry as they once were or because they are able to attend school (Kairi Consultants & National Assessment Team of Antigua and Barbuda, 2007). Economic disadvantage is therefore not seen as a significant social disadvantage by children themselves, though it often functions as one regardless of their perceptions.

Economic status also influences socio-political status, though in this regard the government and non-governmental organizations in Antigua and Barbuda have made significant strides toward greater equality. Educational efforts on the islands have been quite strong, and child literacy rates are above 99%, consistent with the top-performing countries in the world — though adult literacy rates lag somewhat (CIA, 2012; FDCC, 2012). The National Youth Program (n.d.) also outlines concrete goals and plans for the development and protection of Antigua and Barbuda's children, ranging from educational assurances to broader issues of social development and the contextualization of children's rights. This is consistent with the updated poverty measurements established by the United Nations mentioned above; an increasing focus on rights-based definitions of poverty is already helping to identify children and families at risk for de facto rights denials based on financial hardships that prevent equal opportunities and access (Antigua Observer, 2012). Minors have little socio-political power in any setting, of course, but children are a matter of increasing policy importance in Antigua and Barbuda by all accounts.

Key factors affecting the ability of youth in Antigua and Barbuda to achieve their full potential are identified as access to appropriate nutrition and consistent access to adequate clothing and shelter. The first of these factors is the most pressing in terms of the number of children and youth affected and the severity of the situation, though it is not especially dire — undernutrition is the focus rather than starvation and basic survival. Clothing and shelter access present fewer problems, though there are youth disrupted by repeated moves that cause insecurity in both housing and possessions, including clothing. Education is also a key factor influencing opportunity; however, in this area Antigua and Barbuda have made great strides and have succeeded in serving the needs of the vast majority, if not the totality, of the nation's youth population.

In light of the research findings, it is recommended that more extensive nutritional and clothing programs be developed to ensure that the children of Antigua and Barbuda receive the essentials they need to properly develop in a safe and secure environment. Homelessness was not identified as a substantial problem but can still occur, and housing assistance programs would also help achieve greater equality. The school and educational programs in the small island nation appear to be quite successful, and it is possible that an expansion or deliberate utilization of these existing programs could provide an efficient means of collecting and distributing various food and clothing items through both governmental and charitable funding.

Such an approach would also serve to reinforce the already-established social structure enjoyed by children and their families, which appears to center on educational opportunities. It would allow for ongoing monitoring of program success by teachers and administrators who regularly encounter at-risk students. Continued research to determine what effects are produced by any program changes or additions is also recommended.

The National Youth Plan (n.d.) contains extensive plans for "positive youth development," broken down into four primary spheres of influence over the nation's children: family, peers, school and workplace, and community. This plan is quite comprehensive and detailed, and through the nation's educational programs it aims to ensure that all youth develop not only productive work habits and a desire to learn, but also appropriate social and coping skills, healthy ways of using leisure time, positive peer support networks, and internal self-confidence (National Youth Plan, n.d.).

Conclusion

Kairi Consultants & National Assessment Team of Antigua and Barbuda. (2007). Living conditions in Antigua and Barbuda.

National Youth Policy. (n.d.).