At the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000, a Millennium Declaration was produced and unanimously adopted by 189 countries. This Declaration reaffirmed the U.N.’s commitment to peace, human rights and social justice, while emphasising core values for international relations: freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature and shared responsibility.
Included in the Declaration is the statement that “we have a collective responsibility to uphold the principles of human dignity, equality and equity at the global level” - United Nations Millennium Campaign, 2004.
Leading from the Millennium Declaration, the eight Millennium Development Goals were drawn up under the leadership of the then UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan.
The Goals are as follows:
Within these 8 goals are 18 targets and 48 indicators. A time-frame was set out to achieve the MDGs goals by 2015.
The MDGs are considered by many to be important and indeed, unique, in that they focus on human well-being, the environment and poverty reduction, rather than solely focusing on economic growth as a means of achieving development. - Borg, B. and Johnston J. (2006) ‘The Millennium Development Goals and Development’
The goals identify specific issues which can be addressed in order to begin to reduce poverty and make the world a more equitable place. When it comes to addressing such huge challenges, it can be argued that setting specific goals like these helps to accelerate progress. (Borg and Johnston 2006)
It is also important in attempting to take on challenges on such a global scale that there is international consensus and a common vision; 189 countries have agreed to these goals.
Other examples of where a common vision produced change are Gandhi’s movement to bring about independence for India, the Civil Rights movement in the US and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa inspired by Nelson Mandela. These examples illustrate how seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be overcome. The MDGs bring an opportunity to co-ordinate a poverty-reduction strategy on a global scale.
Despite various criticisms of the MDGs, including those which say that they do not go far enough, there has been some success in achieving them. For example, a degree of success has been achieved in countries such as Botswana, Bangladesh, Nepal and Egypt.
Of course, the other side of this picture is the failure of many countries to achieve success with the MDGs, most notably in some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
While the MDGs are by no means an overwhelming success across the board, the success stories illustrate that progress can be made and point to the possibility of a more optimistic future. Research the most current facts and statistics on the UN MDGs website.
One of the best-known advocates of the MDGs is Professor Jeffrey Sachs, writer of ‘The End of Poverty’, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University in New York and an advisor to the UN Secretary General on the MDGs. He believes that the goals are “bold but achievable” and that this generation has the resources and the know-how to bring them about.
The implementation of the MDGs requires an international effort. Not only that, but the MDGs are inextricably linked to each other.
This is where Goal 8, “to develop a global partnership for development” comes in. Unless Goal 8 is adhered to, that is, “achieving a global partnership with more equitable trade rules, debt cancellation and improved rules within international institutions” Goals 1 to 7 cannot be achieved by poor countries.
There are three main ways in which rich countries have a responsibility in implementing the Millennium Development Goals: more and more effective aid, debt-relief and trade.
Professor Sachs, while emphasising the role of the world’s leaders and the international community in bringing about these goals, also highlights the important role for individuals, the need for a personal commitment. He says “In the end… it comes back to us, as individuals. Individuals working in unison, form and shape societies”.
Former UN Secretary General, Kofi Anaan, echoed these sentiments when he said: "It is not in the United Nations that the Millennium Development Goals will be achieved. They have to be achieved in each country by the joint efforts of the Government and people". -(cited in United Nations Cyberschoolbus 2007)
Further Information on MDG progress
Websites for further information on the progress of the MDGs are:
Other interesting websites related to this are :
This is evidenced by the work undertaken by the Edmund Rice Network in places such as Africa, India, Latin America, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines in the provision of medical and education services (MDG’s 2,5,6), in promoting educational opportunities for girls
The information about the Millennium Development Goals on this page is taken from Topic One of the ERI online course in Advocacy Awareness which is currently being piloted and will be available later in 2009.
The course is primarily intended to enable members of the Edmund Rice Network (ERN) to gain a simple but useful insight to the advocacy work of Edmund Rice International at the UN.
Thanks to Lorna Mulvany (ERN Ireland) who wrote up the material for Topic One