MDGs Highlights
Highlights
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
The proportion of people living in extreme poverty has been halved at the global level, perhaps the hunger target is within reach YET 1.2 billion people still live below poverty and suffer from hunger
2. Universal primary education
About twice numbers of children attend primary schools compare to the last years YET too many children are still denied primary education with many reasons·
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
Gender parity has been achieved in primary school education YET many women are still uneducated and have fewer opportunities in business.
4. Reduce child mortality
Big gains have been made in child survival in developing countries YET children under five-years-old in the developing countries are still twice as likely to die, thus more efforts on providing aid to reducing child mortality is essential.
5. Improve maternal health
Most maternal deaths are preventable, indeed maternal mortality has declined by around two thirds in recent years YET progress in this area is falling short in which numbers of women are still getting pregnant and giving births when they are not ready, thus are left with several problems with raising their children. Further education in contraception is a must.
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Remarkable gains have been made in the fight against malaria and tuberculosis YET many people living below the poverty pass away with preventable/healable diseases, indeed access to antiretroviral therapy and knowledge about HIV prevention must be expanded.
7. Ensure environment sustainability
Over 2 billion people gained access to improved sources of drinking water YET about 863 million people still live in slums and those have no access to clean water, but water from river and rain for cooking and drinking uses.
8. Develop a global partnership for development
There is less aid money overall, with the poorest countries most adversely affected.
As we see, whilst some concerns remain, aid has made a significant contribution to educating people in fundamental human rights, preventing preventable diseases and reducing people being affected by diseases, ensuring equal opportunity in living in sustainable environments, and so on. Most importantly, it is saving lives of people in developing countries.
United Nations, Millennium Development Goals website: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/; United Nations Development Programme website: http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/mdgoverview.html
