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Belize
Women in decision-making positions
32%
Members of local deliberative bodies are women (459 elected women)
No woman is Head of Government
16%
Parliamentarians are women
12%
Ministers are women

Government organization

Belize ­­­­­­­is a unitary monarchy with two spheres of government: central and local.

One tier of central government and one tier of local government composed of cities; towns; villages and communities.
Central government
  • Head of State: The Monarch of the Commonwealth. The Governor-General is appointed by the Monarch to be her representative in Belize.
  • Head of Government: The Prime Minister is a member of the House of Representatives who is the leader of the political party which commands the support of the majority of the House of Representatives. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Governor-General.
  • Legislative body: The National Assembly is a bicameral legislature, with an upper house (the Senate) and a lower house (the House of Representatives). In the Senate, members are appointed by the Governor-General. In the House of Representatives, members are directly elected by voters.
  • Executive body: The Cabinet of Ministers consists of the Prime Minister and ministers appointed by the Governor-General, on the advice of the Prime Minister, from amongst members of the National Assembly.
Local government
  • Organization: Local government is organized into one tier. In urban areas, there are two city-level local government units (Belize City and Belmopan City) and seven town-level local government units (Benque Viejo Del Carmen, Corozal, Dangriga, Orange Walk Town, Punta Gorda, San Ignacio and Santa Elena, and San Pedro). In rural areas, there are 12 community-level local government units and 180 village-level local government units.
  • Competencies: Local government is responsible for making and enforcing by-laws and regulations, appointing staff, and acquiring, holding, and disposing of real and personal property and to sue and be sued in all courts of law.
  • Ministerial oversight: Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labor and Local Government

Overview of local government

Local government composition
City-level government

Deliberative body: The Belize City Council is composed of ten elected members and a mayor; the Belmopan City Council is composed of six elected members and a mayor. The mayor presides over the city council; the mayor is vested with executive powers in Belmopan City but not in Belize City.

Executive body: In Belize City, the city administrator is the executive. In Belmopan City, the mayor, assisted by the city administrator and a deputy mayor, is elected to be the executive. The city administrator is appointed by the city council; the deputy mayor is elected by and from the city council.

Town-level government

Deliberative body: The town council is composed of six elected members and a mayor. The mayor is elected to preside over the town council; the mayor is also vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The mayor, assisted by a town administrator and a deputy mayor, is elected to be the executive at the town level of government. The town administrator is appointed by the town council; the deputy mayor is elected by and from the town council.

Village- and community-level government

Deliberative body: The village/community council is composed of six elected members and a chairperson. The chairperson is elected to preside over the village/community council; the chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: There is no executive at the village/community level of government.

Local government elections
Electoral system

Electoral system for local deliberative bodies: majority/plurality (first-past-the-post)

  • When the ballot papers have been counted, compared and recorded in the manner aforesaid the Returning Officer shall proceed to add up the number of votes given to each candidate, and shall forthwith declare to be elected the candidate or candidates to whom the majority of votes have been given. If there is given to two or more candidates an equal number of votes in respect of the seat or the last remaining seat to be filled as the case may be the election as between the candidates with an equal number of votes shall be decided by the drawing of lots.
  • For village council elections, a voter will be entitled to vote only for one candidate for election as chairperson and only for six candidates for election as members. Candidates receiving the highest number of votes for the election of members shall be declared elected as members of the council. In the event of a tie, the matter will be resolved by the toss of a coin.

Electoral system for mayors/chairpersons: majority/plurality

  • Mayors/chairpersons are also directly elected by voters using a plurality electoral system, on the same ballot or on a separate ballot from the local deliberative body election.

Sources: Belize City Council Act of 2000, article 80; Village Councils Subsidiary Act of 2003, Village Councils (Elections) Regulations, First schedule, article 11; Town Councils Subsidiary Act of 2003, article 80

Quotas
  • Gender quotas: No
  • Additional quotas: No
Term of elections
  • Term length: 3 years
  • Last local elections: 2021 (in cities and towns); 2022 (in villages and communes)
  • Next local elections: 2024 (in cities and towns), 2025 (in villages and communes)
Electoral management body

Elections and Boundaries Department; Elections and Boundaries Commission (for village/community council elections of seven hundred or more voters); Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (for other local elections)

National legal framework on local government
National legal framework
  • Belize Constitution Act, 1981 (amended through 2022);
  • Belize City Council Subsidiary Act, 2003;
  • Town Councils Subsidiary Act, 2003;
  • Village Councils Subsidiary Act, 2003;
  • Belize City Council Act, 2000 (amended through 2012);
  • Belmopan City Council Act, 2000 (amended through 2017);
  • Village Councils Act, 2000 (amended through 2022);
  • Town Councils Act, 1999 (amended through 2017).
Constitutional provisions on local government

Local government authorities are mentioned in Articles 9 and 80 of the Belize Constitution Act of 1981 (amended through 2022).

Legislative provisions on local government

The National Parliament is responsible for establishing the national legal framework on local government. The key pieces of legislation that regulate local government are the Belize City Council Act of 2000 (amended through 2012), the Belmopan City Council Act of 2000 (amended through 2017), the Village Councils Act of 2000 (amended through 2022), and the Town Councils Act of 1999 (amended through 2017). According to Article 21 of the Village Councils Act of 2000, “Every council shall be charged with the good government and improvement of its [locality] and the enforcement of the provisions of this or any other laws relating thereto and of all by-laws and regulations made thereunder.”

Sources:

1. UN Women: Data on share of women in local government as of 1 January 2023.

2. UN Women: Information on Head of State and Government as of 3 October 2023.

3. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): Data on share of women in the single/lower chamber of parliament as of 1 January 2023.

4. IPU and UN Women: Data on share of women in ministerial positions as of 1 January 2023.

5. Information on local government organization as of 1 January 2023.