Ministry of Human Development; Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs

The Ministry of Human Development, Families, and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and the Maya people of the Toledo District continue to be at odds over the draft Maya Customary Land Tenure Policy. Throughout January 2023, consultations have taken place within the district’s Maya villages to dialogue on the critical aspects of the policy, specifically Paragraph Five, which proposes only to recognize 0.75 to 1.8 mil.es from the center of the town as registered as Maya customary lands. The Ministry has emphasized that the Government of Belize (GOB) is not limiting communal lands to one kilometer but keeping the door open for input and mutual agreement by all interested parties.

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño, met on 22nd January 2024.

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño, met on 15th August 2023. Cabinet considered and gave its approval for the adjustment of pay...

35 professionals in Belize are better equipped to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls during health emergencies. With funding support from the Canada Caribbean Resilience Facility (CRF) of the World Bank and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) partnered with the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW), the Ministry of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and the Ministry of Sustainable Development Climate Change and Risk Disaster Management to conduct the training which was completed this week.

To improve the quality of mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) for victims of road accidents and their families, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the Government of Belize with financial support from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) conducted a consultation with multiple representatives from key ministries, stakeholders, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

This week, the Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora Relations (MTDR), in conjunction with the Ministry of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, facilitated the distribution of hurricane relief supplies that were received from several organizations and individuals in the diaspora with the help and coordination of Build Belize Inc. and No Child Hungry. These two organizations have generously organized the consolidation and shipment of much-needed supplies for Belize City residents who are still in need after the Hurricane Lisa.

The Ministry of Human Development, Families, and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MHDFIPA) in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) through the financial support from the European Union through its Department for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the Republic of Korea, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, and in collaboration with the United Nations Joint SDG Fund, and DigiWallet Limited have launched the Hurricane Lisa Cash Assistance Programme (HLAP). One thousand six hundred (1600) vulnerable families who are among the most affected by Hurricane Lisa received a one-time emergency cash assistance of $250.00 Belize dollars through DigiWallet.

An emergency allocation of funds is being made available by the Government of Belize for initial humanitarian assistance through the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) for food and emergency supplies for the most affected families. The medium-term funds for humanitarian assistance, which includes emergency accommodation rental for displaced families, will be allocated to the Ministry of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs. A self-help small-housing relief and grocery bags assistance will be rolling out soon.