Countries and Regions

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p. 3 of 18 BACK | NEXT I. Country Performance Assessment A. Economic Performance Assessment B. Poverty Assessment C. Governance: Sound Development Management D. 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 - Tuvalu : I. Country Performance Assessment

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B. Assessment of Socio-Environmental Performance

1. Poverty Issues

Human Poverty Index of 7.3 places it amongst countries with a low extent of poverty. No poverty line (or the level of income below which individuals or families are considered poor) exists for Tuvalu. More than two thirds of the households can be considered poor, or net subsidized, in the sense that they receive from the community (the Government) more than they contribute. Country-wise, 50 percent of the population has less than $1.5 cash income per capita per day ¹ . The percentage of population with less than $1.5 per capita per day is higher in the outer islands (66.5 percent of the population) than in the main island Funafuti (21.6 percent of the population). The Government's new devolution policy for the outer islands should improve the conditions of the poor as it would provide more resources to the outer islands to meet their development needs.

2. Gender Issues

Women account for 37 percent of total cash employment in 1991 (last census). Most jobs held by women are of a clerical or unskilled nature, or in nursing and teaching professions. Although education is compulsory until 15 and most scholarship bodies specify 50 percent of awards are for women, fewer female than male students feature in upper education programs. The lower level of participation is mainly explained by cultural factors: parents do not want daughters overseas away from families. In 1994, the ADB prepared a country briefing paper entitled Tuvalu: Women in Development. The Government's National Development Strategy (1995) includes the objective of women's participation in the development process and enjoyment of benefits. The devolution of development finance to the outer islands will benefit women.

3. Human Development

Human resource development (HRD), especially education and training, has a key role in Tuvalu's economic and social development. Since 1988, the Government has sought to develop and implement an ambitious Education for Life Program that would realize HRD goals; in addition it maintains a commitment to improving the health of the population. As elsewhere in the Pacific, a central problem is that while access to, and spending on, education has increased, educational quality as measured by tests of academic performance has declined. Available data on health indicators show a position inferior to that of Tuvalu's Polynesian neighbors. The infant mortality rate, 49.8 per 1000 live births, remains very high by Pacific Island standards. This is of particular concern because many infant deaths can typically be prevented through modest improvements in health service provision.

4. Environment

Tuvalu’s natural environment, as exploited on a traditional subsistence basis, has provided for the sustenance of human life in the islands for centuries. The high resources demands of the growing population on Funafuti are beginning to exact an environmental toll in urbanized areas and lagoon. A National Environment Management Strategy has been prepared. The concerns listed in the Strategy are global warming and sea level rise; high population growth rates, population densities, and the uneven distribution of the population; deficiencies in environmental education and public awareness of environmental issues; decline in the traditional resource management practices and production systems; unsustainable use of natural resources; and problems with waste management and pollution control.

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