The Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that respond to the world's main development challenges. The MDGs are drawn from the actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration. The Declaration was adopted by 189 nations and signed by 147 heads of state and governments during the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000.
The eight MDGs are:
Goal 1 - Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2 - Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3 - Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4 - Reduce child mortality
Goal 5 - Improve maternal health
Goal 6 - Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7 - Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8 - Develop a global partnership for development
These goals have been implemented according to a Road Map, which outlines potential strategies for action. We are now at the midpoint between the adoption of the MDGs and the 2015 target date. So far, the collective record is mixed. There have been advances in some areas but there have also been significant set-backs.
The United Nations issues a country report (for most countries it is on an annual basis) assessing a country’s progress in respect of each of the 8 MDGs.
The last UN country report on South Africa was in 2005. The progress report below is the latest information – dated 1 November 2007 - on the UN’s MDG Monitor website and is described as “Current status in accordance with national Government reporting”.
South Africa is on track to achieve by 2015, the following MDGs:
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- Develop a global partnership for development
SA is falling behind in the following MDGs, or as the UN quaintly describes it “Possible to achieve if some changes are made”:
- Reduce child mortality
- Improve maternal health
- Combat HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases
(www.mdgmonitor.org)