The Millennium Development Goals
In this page :
- What are the Millennium Development Goals?
- How are we doing?
- What do we expect from the G8 and the G20 in June 2010?
What are the Millennium Development Goals?
In 2000, all the member countries of the United Nations committed themselves to combating poverty in the world by achieving the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015:
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child mortality
- Improve maternal health
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- Develop a global partnership for development
How are we doing?
Since 2000, the primary school enrolment rate has surpassed 90% in many developing countries. The enrolment disparity between boys and girls has shrunk. More than 500 million people are now being treated every year for one or more tropical diseases.
Yet there is much to be done, particularly in maternal and child health, the two areas where progress has been slowest. Even today, one African woman in 22 is likely to die during pregnancy or in childbirth, as compared to one woman in 8000 in industrialized countries. And 3.8 million children die every year of preventable diseases such as pneumonia or diarrhoea.
Moreover, the economic crisis and climate change are threatening to halt and even wipe out the progress made to date.
What do we expect from the G8 and the G20 in June 2010?
G8 and G20 leaders must commit themselves to:
- Adopt a plan to put the MDGs back on track in light of the forthcoming Millennium Summit in September at the United Nations.
- Disburse the development assistance already promised and boost the amount of aid to reach the 0.7% target.
- Adopt a tax on financial transactions in order to fund the achievement of the MDGs.
- Provide adequate financing to poorer countries to combat climate change.
- Earmark additional resources for child and maternal health.
Every one of the goals can be achieved by 2015, provided the international community rallies itself to invest the money and the energy needed. That's why we must take our place At the Table to demand that our leaders act immediately.
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