Regions and Countries

	Table of Contents
p. 4 of 21 BACK | NEXT I. Country Performance Assessment A. Economic Performance Assessment B. Poverty Assessment C. Assessment of Socio-Environmental Performance D. Governance: Sound Development Management E. Implementation Assessment II. Country Operational Strategy III. Sector Strategies IV. Regional Cooperation V. Donor Activities and Aid Coordination VI. Cofinancing and Catalyzing External Resources VII. ADB’s Operational Program VIII. Economic and Sector Work Program IX. Local Cost Financing

Country Assistance Plans - Kiribati : I. Country Performance Assessment

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C. Assessment of Socio-Environmental Performance

1. Gender Issues

6. The social, legal and economic status of women in Kiribati is generally low. Outside of South Tarawa, the role of women is confined largely to domestic duties, while land tenure, and community politics amongst others are reserved largely to men. Women traditionally do not have a direct role in community decision making. Instead they exercise their influence in the family context and through churches and community groups. The poor status of women is often compounded by broader structure of economic dependency and poverty. As more men are forced to leave their home to find work in the urban centers, overseas or as seamen, the burden of the traditional role of women as caretakers, nurturers and providers increases and factors like poor living standards and poor family health directly impinge on their quality of life and health.

2. Human Development

7. In spite of the physical and fiscal constraints in Kiribati, the education system has produced substantial results. Adult literacy rate is high and primary education is virtually universal. This year, each populated island of Kiribati will have its own junior secondary school. Notwithstanding these accomplishments, there are a number of areas which require further development. The implementation of government policies and strategies regarding quality, access and equity of education represents a major challenge to the education department. Relevance of education to the labor market is also a concern. The basic economic structure of Kiribati does not encourage entrepreneurial development. Given the fact that the Government is by far the major employer, parents tend to encourage their children to pursue administrative training over vocational training. This creates a major skill gap in the labor force which is not currently being given appropriate attention.

8. With regards to health, Kiribati has made significant progress in the 80s and 90s. The infant death rate fell significantly from 120 to 65 from the first half of the 1970s to 1995. Life expectancy at birth also improved from 49 in the early 1970s to 61 years in 1996. Although these gains are noteworthy, the country still lags behind a number of its neighbors in health achievements. Dispersion of the population across a vast area of ocean makes it difficult to provide cost-effective services to the outer islands. Its infant death remains high compared to a number of other Pacific countries, and life expectancy is still somewhat less than that achieved in neighboring Tuvalu or in Vanuatu and Fiji Islands for instance. In terms of the Pacific Human Development Index compiled by the UNDP, Kiribati ranks lower than Fiji Islands, Marshall Islands, Tonga, Samoa, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

3. Environment

9. The fragile environment of Kiribati is particularly vulnerable to natural and human actions. A high population growth combined with inadequate infrastructure, insufficient capacity in operations and maintenance, and uneven distribution of population is placing considerable pressure on the environment in the urban centers of Tarawa. The environmental impacts elsewhere in Kiribati, although admittedly less intense, still present a real challenge to the communities. As the population continues to grow in the outer islands, pressure on the environment will also become more severe.

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