Measuring Social Development in Caribbean Societies –

Some Emergent Challenges and Lessons

AuthorGodfrey St. Bernard

Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic StudiesThe University of the West Indies

St. AugustineTrinidad and Tobago

Email Contact: gstbiser@gmail.com

Paper presented at:International Conference on Small States and Economic

ResilienceFoundation for International Studies

Old University BuildingSt. Paul StreetValletta VLT 07

MALTA

23-25 April 2007

Introductory Statements

Social Development as a universal imperative as reinforced by the MDGs

There is a need to promote “wellness” within Caribbean social systems and by extension, societies

This requires careful observation and social measurement

The paper recognizes the need to adopt a paradigmatic framework and therefore embraces a structural functionalist approach rooted in Action Theory

The Content of the Paper

Provides a historical account of the production of social indicators with particular reference to the Caribbean

The experience of Trinidad and TobagoCentral Statistical OfficeConsumer Affairs Division

The contribution of key stakeholdersAcademia – the University of the West IndiesThe Caribbean Development BankThe United Nations Children’s Fund

Classifying Indicators

According to Carley (1981), social indicators can be classified as follows:

Informative Indicators – descriptive

Predictive Indicators – empirical, association and logic of causation

Problem-oriented Indicators – identifying systems and populations that warrant amelioration

Programme evaluation Indicators – facilitate impact assessment

Target delineation Indicators – determine “at risk” and “at need” populations and systems

The Central Statistical Office

Table 1.

Subject-Matter Domains by Year of Publication of Social Indicators Report

1975 1987 1996

PopulationHealth and NutritionEducation

Employment, Earnings, Prices and Household Expenditure Patterns

Housing and Levels of LivingPublic OrderLeisure

PopulationEducation and TrainingLabour force and IncomeFertility and Family FormationMortality and HealthHousingPublic Order and Public Safety

Consumption Expenditure and Income Distribution

ProductivityTransportationThe Environment

Public Participation and social Security

PopulationEducation and TrainingLabour force and IncomeFertility and Family FormationMortality and HealthHousingPublic Order and Public Safety

Consumption Expenditure and Income Distribution

ProductivityTransportationThe Environment

Public Assistance and Social Welfare

Consumer Affairs Division

Delivery was based upon the UN Publication entitled “Measuring Change in Consumption and Production Patterns – A Set of Indicators

Review current status of data collection and storage

Review National Policy Documents

Listing Action Areas

Consumer Affairs DivisionHealthEducationLiving ConditionsEconomic ActivityHuman SettlementEnvironmentRecreation and LeisureKey Resources – Electricity, Water, Petroleum and Natural GasFood SecurityInternational Trade Indicators

Consumption IndicatorsIndividuals and communities meeting their basic needsWhether done in socially and environmentally friendly manner

Production IndicatorProduction processes and output environmentally friendly, sustainableDisposal practices of households and companiesMeeting population needs in socially and environmentally friendly manner

Living Conditions

Caribbean Development Bank Interventions

St. Lucia (2 SLCs)St. Vincent and the Grenadines GrenadaBelizeSt. Kitts and Nevis (2 SLCs)DominicaTurks and Caicos IslandsBritish Virgin IslandsAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaCayman Islands

Independent Initiatives

Jamaica (annually since 1988)Trinidad and Tobago (3 SLCs)BarbadosThe Bahamas

Living Conditions

Unit of Analysis/Target Population

IndividualsHouseholdsVulnerable Sub-Populations

Coverage, Estimates and Output

Household Consumption ExpenditureQuintile GroupsPoverty Line – Poor/Non-PoorPoverty GapFGT-2 MeasureGini Co-efficientsSocial Outcomes – Education, Housing, Health and Nutrition, Labour Force Characteristics, Water, Sanitation and the Environment

Children’s Status

Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS)

GuyanaSurinameTrinidad and Tobago

Monitor and Evaluate Interventions geared towards enhancing the status of children

Satisfying the requirements of specific MDGs focusing on children

Children’s Status

Unit of Analysis/Target Population

Care giversWomenMothersChildrenHouseholds

Coverage, Estimates and Output

Child HealthChild MortalityChild DevelopmentChild DisciplineChild CareChild RightsChild LabourLiteracyEducationMaternal HealthWater and SanitationEnvironment

Human Development Index

Human Capability and perhaps as an indication of overall social development in specific social systems

Based on an Education Index, a Health Index and a Wealth Index

Refined insofar as it has been adjusted to take into account variations in gender inequalities across countries

Thus, has resulted in the articulation of other indices such as the GDI and the GEM

Youth Development Index (YDI)

A feature proposed under the auspices of the Commonwealth Secretariat

Original intention was to propose a measure that was analogous to the GDI

More specifically, it could be used as a tool for gauging youth empowerment and hence the plan of action of youth empowerment

Commonwealth PAYE

PAYE recognizes the significance of enabling conditions that assume the following forms:

the promotion of economic and material bases that are consistent with youth empowerment

the establishment of mechanisms that will enhance political will, facilitate the allocation of resources and foster the adoption of critical legal and administrative frameworks,

the development of attitudes and practices that are consistent with equality, democracy and peace and,

the dissemination of knowledge, information, skills and values.

Ten Action Points - PAYE1. To develop and implement measures to promote the economic enfranchisement of young

people and their participation in the economy

1. To strengthen support systems and collaboration between key stakeholders in youth empowerment

1. To develop and strengthen youth ministries/departments, national youth policies and legislative and constitutional provisions impacting upon youth affairs

1. To promote positive national models and self images for young people and foster their sense of responsibility and self esteem

1. To promote the full participation of young people in decision making at all levels, including communities and local provincial and national governments

1. To take affirmative and direct action to establish gender equity for all young people, and equality of treatment and outcome for youth in special circumstances

1. To promote a democratic, stable and peaceful environment in which the human rights of young people as defined in international covenants are fully implemented and in which they can fully accept their responsibilities

1. To engage in action for the development and maintenance of human resources and intellectual capital

1. To adopt measures to improve access to information and communications technology (ICT) and provide young people with the skills to make use of it

1. To pursue measures to broaden youth participation in sporting and cultural activities as a means of promoting positive values and advancing human development

Further Thoughts on the YDI

Having adjusted HDI based on gender inequalities, there should be further adjustment to treat with variable prospects and attainment with regard to youth empowerment across countries

Perhaps a YDI, renamed a Youth Related Development Index should be pursued analogous to the GDI.

Alternatively, a YGDI – a Youth and Gender Related Development Index could be proposed adjusting for variations in gender inequality and youth empowerment processes across countries

Social Vulnerability Index

Spearheaded primarily by the United Nations ECLAC

Social vulnerability status as characterizing social outcomes due to the interplay between strengths, weaknesses and opportunities on one hand, and threats on the other

Based upon a functionalist framework where reference is upon social systems, social institutions and their respective sub-systems

Institutional Sub-Systems and Indicators

The System of Education:- The proportion of the population 20 years and over with exposure to tertiary level education - E1.- The proportion of the population 20 years and over that has successfully completed secondary education

(i.e. highest level of educational attainment being a minimum of 5 GCE ‘O’ Level or CXC Basic Subjects or equivalent secondary school leaving qualifications) - E2.

- Adult literacy rate - population aged 15 years and over - E3.The System of Health: - Life expectancy at birth - H1.The System Promoting Security, Social Order and “Good” Governance:- Index of rule of law – S1.- Measure of minority groups' participation in the economy – S2.- Measure of new governments' respect for previous governments' commitments – S3.The System of Resources Allocation:- Proportion of all children (under 15 years) belonging to the two poorest quintiles - R1.- Proportion of working age population (15-64) belonging to the two poorest quintiles with no more than

primary school education - R2.- Proportion of the population (15 years and over) belonging to the two poorest quintiles with no medical

insurance coverage - R3.- Proportion of the population belonging to the two poorest quintiles and living in households where the

head was not employed - R4.The System of Communications Technology:- Computer literacy rate – population aged 15 years and over - C1.

Key Parameters for Data Collection

Data Collection Activities

Institutional Sub-System

Indicators Data Collection Process

Observation Unit

Level of Analysis

Survey of Living Condition

EducationResources Allocation

E1, E2R1, R2,

R3, R4

Sample Survey

Individuals

IndividualHouseholdNation

National Survey of Basic and Computer Literacy

EducationCommunicat

ions Technology

E3C1

Sample Survey

Individuals

IndividualHouseholdNation

National Survey of Governance Processes

Security, Social Order and Governance

S1, S2, S3 Expert Polls

Experts Nation

Official Vital Statistics - Mortality

Health H1 Existing Data

Civil Registration Department

Nation

Emergent Questions and Concerns

Is there a basis for developing a composite index bearing in mind environmental, economic and social vulnerability measures?

Is there a basis for developing a composite index of environmental, economic and sociaql resilience?

Having adjusted the HDI to take into account gender inequalities in order to arrive at the GDI. A further recommendation in this paper has been the need to also take into account adjustment of the HDI to take into account variations in youth empowerment to arrive a YDI

Emergent Questions and Concerns

Should consideration be now given to obtaining holistic measures of vulnerability and resilience to permit further adjustments as means of further refining the HDI?

Further Challenges

There is need for additional sample surveys targeting adult literacy, the computation of disability-free life years lived, access to ICT, and governance indicators

There are also concerns about the reliability and validity of emergent estimates and indicators due to the quality of survey administration, the capabilities of technical skills involved in the conduct of survey research and the pursuit of survey data analysis

There is need to consider harmonization prospects for concepts and definitions given different data collection standards and protocols across the Caribbean Region, especially with respect to the pursuit of comparative analyses

Thank You