The Millennium Development Goals
At the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000, world leaders signed up to eight goals with the aim of halving world poverty by 2015.
The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) carry unprecedented, time-bound promises to address development, human rights, peace and security. They are:
• Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
• Achieve universal primary education
• Promote gender equality and empower women
• Reduce child mortality
• Improve maternal health
• Combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases
• Ensure environmental sustainability
• Develop a global partnership for development
Yet progress on many of the MDGs has been painfully slow. In June 2007 I produced a report to the European Parliament assessing what had been achieved so far. The report found that many sub-Saharan countries are not on track to meet even one of the goals, and that several middle-income countries are experiencing difficulties of one kind or another. Virtually no country in Africa is on-track to achieve the MDG for child and maternal health.
Indeed at the current rate of progress, by 2015, when the Millennium Development Goal target to halve global poverty will be assessed, it is estimated that around 600 million people will still be living in extreme poverty.
In order to turn this situation around developing countries need firm timetables and binding practical commitments - more specifics and clear financial pledges - from the developed world. With predictable, long term donor funding credible, costed and effective plans can be put in place. Only then can we really Make Poverty History.
Links:
- Parliamentary report by Glenys Kinnock MEP on the UN Millennium Development Goals - the midway point
- Article by Glenys Kinnock MEP - Still lessons to learn
- Article by Glenys Kinnock MEP - The G8 must keep its promises
- UN Millennium Development Goals website