Social conditions
At independence, Suriname had a fairly advanced public welfare system of Dutch average. It suffered cuts during the financial crisis of the 1990s, but still holds a much higher standard than that in neighboring Guyana.
Residents of the rainforest naturally have less access to social services than coastal residents.
Same-sex relationships are allowed and in 2015 laws were passed to protect LGBTQ persons. Despite this, harassment and abuse occur, even from the police.
- Countryaah Official Site: Official statistics for population in Suriname, including population growth, density, and estimation in next 50 years.
Gender discrimination is prohibited by law, but in reality women have less access to education and work than men.
Suriname is one of a handful of countries in the world where abortion is totally prohibited, even if the mother’s life or health is at stake.
- AbbreviationFinder Website: Provides commonly used acronyms, history, politics and geography of country Suriname.
FACTS – SOCIAL CONDITIONS
Infant Mortality: 17 per 1000 births (2018)
Percentage of HIV infected: 1.4 percent (2018)
Proportion of HIV infected among young women
0.3 percent (2018)
Proportion of HIV infected among young men: 0.3 percent (2018)
Proportion of population with access to clean water: 94.7 percent (2015)
Proportion of the population having access to toilets: 84.5 percent (2017)
Public expenditure on health care as a percentage of GDP: 6.5 percent (2015)
Public expenditure on health care per person: US $ 356 (2016)
Proportion of women in parliament: 26 percent (2018)