The Millennium Development Goals:

1. The Millennium Development Goals: The fight against global poverty and inequality By: Sarah Huynh

2. Goal 1: Eradicate extreme hunger and Poverty Strategies • Growth: • Actions to avoid excessive debt levels or high levels of inflation • Supporting Government policies that help ensure the poor benefit from growth (such as an adequate taxation system, and government programs which effectively target the poor). • Support the realisation of trade and market liberalisation. • Productivity: • Poor people to have access to productive assets, including land and credit • Investigating in areas such as health and population programs, education and training, and agricultural technology transfer for the poor. • Support activities allowing women to contribute to benefit from development • Programs aimed at lifting children out of poverty • Accountability: • Improve poor’s access to governance process. • Engage with governments and civil society – remove barriers, i.e. including them in decision-making • Strengthen law and justice, human rights, democratic institutions and developing civil society. By: Sarah Huynh

3. Goal 2: Achieve universal and primary education • Our governments ensure that, by 2015 children everywhere , boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. • Australia’s education assistance is focused on promoting equity, improving quality and strengthening education systems. • In 2011-12, Australia’s investment in education, is expected to be $842 million, of which 19% of total Overseas Development Assistance. • Australia channels its education development assistance through bilateral, regional and multilateral programs. By: Sarah Huynh

4. Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower Women • Given economic opportunities. • Australia supported through the United Nations Development Program’s Micro Enterprise Development program helped women set up their own businesses. • Helping more children attend school, particularly girls who were dropped out of mainstream schools, gave them an education opportunity. • Assisting women to take on leadership roles in government, businesses, schools within their community. • Training women to support school boards and their local communities. • Accessing women to skills and services to earn an income. By: Sarah Huynh

5. Goal 4: Reduce child mortality • Australia supports a number of international health organisations which focus on child health, including the World Health Organisation, UNICEF and GAVI. • Provides core funding to these organisations and supports specific initiatives. • In the Philippines, an Australian UNICEF program has helped to achieve high rates of polio vaccination and distribution of vitamin A capsules to children. • Australia recently has expanded activities in women and children’s health to South Asia – where maternal and child mortality is among the worst in the world. • Australia contributes at a global level to the Gavi Alliance: • Increase access to vaccines of children in poor countries • In 2006, alliance protected an additional 38 million children with basic vaccines and prevented more than 2.3 million premature deaths worldwide. • Australia contributes at a global level • Preventing drowning incidents of children • Australian Government with the Royal Life Saving Association of Australia establish world’s first international Drowning Research Centre. By: Sarah Huynh

6. Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health • According to the State of World Population 2005 report, released by the United Nations Population fund, it would be possible to avert up to 30% of all maternal deaths from unintended pregnancies if women were able to access family planning services, • Australia has established a broad range of partnerships and funding arrangements with multilateral agencies, such as the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Population Fund. • Including non-government organisations, such as the International Planned Parenthood Foundation. • Funding maternal and reproductive health activities. • Including, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, East Timor, Solomon Islands , Philippines, etc. • Improving Maternal Health in Eastern Indonesia project is funded by AusAID. • Australia, building on this project announced in June this year $49 million program (over 4 years) for further maternal and neonatal health improvements. • Program will help to : • Make pregnancy and childbirth safer • Giving women easier access to trained midwives • Medical facilities and hospitals. By: Sarah Huynh

7. Ensure environmental sustainability • Supporting disaster risk reduction programs in over 30 countries. • Investing in disaster risk reduction not only to save lives and livelihoods, protects development gains, is cost effective. • Protection of natural systems: rural poor are heavily dependent on productive soils, forests, oceans, and fresh water. • Australia’s international development assistance program can play a significant role in helping countries sustain and build upon economic development gains already achieved. • Ensures decision-makers are supported in efforts of lessening the environmental, social and economic impacts of their development choices and to adapt to these environmental changes. By: Sarah Huynh