Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

2. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Presented by the Puget Sound Millennium Goals Project Craig Fjarlie Goal 1 - Poverty Eugene Martin Goal 2 - Education Rick Hodsdon Goal 3 - Gender Equality Bob Dickerson Goal 6 - HIV/Aids & Malaria Derek Mathis Goal 8 – Global Cooperation Introducing

3. What is Poverty? Poverty defined: “Poverty is…” “…the mother of revolution and crime.” - Aristotle “…the worst form of violence.” – Mahatma Gandhi “…the absence of all human rights.”- Muhammad Yunus Perhaps you can come up with your own definition

4. How Global is Global Poverty? Where do “The Poor” live? This map shows percentage of people living on less than $1/day UN graphic based on data as of 2007-8

5. The Poverty Trap* Lacking access to vital resources… Land for raising food Clean drinking water Basic education Basic health services …poor people can become trapped in a self-perpetuating cycle of poverty: the “Poverty Trap” *Adapted from Jeffrey Sachs’ The End of Poverty

6. Caught in the Poverty Trap In 1990, 1.8 Billion people in developing countries were caught in a cycle of poverty – living on less than $1.25 a day. By 2005, that number had shrunk by 400 million despite a huge increase in the global population(from 5.3 – 6.5 Billion). But poverty and its attendant problems persist. Consider the challenges facing this farmer in Kenya, East Africa • Drought and harsh growing conditions in the savannah reduce crop yields, reducing the farmer’s income • Low crop yields mean less money for new seed, fertilizer and other necessities for successful farming • With less money coming in, there is no surplus to pay school fees and visits to the clinic. The family’s health and general welfare decline, making them less productive • This cycle creates its own “Poverty Trap” – from which the farmer cannot escape without outside assistance Photo courtesy of Oikocredit

7. Escaping the Poverty Trap Escape from the cycle of poverty is possible but traditional modes of helping – aid and/or trade – often do not reach people at the bottom of the economic pyramid. One effective means of improving poor people’s lives is through a microcredit program providing loans, savings and health or life insurance These Indian women are members of a microfinance borrower’s group. Small loans using “social collateral” of the group as security for repayment enable them achieve a better standard of life. By joining together, the women have access to credit that would otherwise be denied to them. Photo courtesy of Oikocredit

8. In the year 2000, the United States and 188 other countries committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. An Ambitious Goal – Eliminating Poverty The MDGs are aimed at improving life for the Billions of people who now live in poverty What are these Goals, and how much progress has been made towards their achievement?

9. Millennium Development Goals Lack of Resources/Food Insecurity MDG #1 Eradicate extreme poverty & hunger Challenge AddressedGoal*Summary Statement Poor Educational Opportunities MDG #2 Achieve universal primary education Gender Inequality MDG #3 Promote gender equality Poor Health – children MDG #4 Reduce child mortality Poor Health – mothers MDG #5 Improve maternal health Endemic diseases MDG #6 Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, & others Environmental Degradation MDG #7 Create sustainable development Inadequate Infrastructure MDG #8 Global partnerships for development *MDGs that will be covered in this class

14. We’ve Made Some Progress …. Over 400 million people have come out of poverty since 2000 • Over 35 countries have had their debts cancelled, allowing a big increase in poverty-focused public expenditure Aid levels have steadily increased – 30% higher than 1992 peak

15. Progress to Date ….but there are still too many areas where we are falling behind.

16. More Progress: Many of the poorest countries are on track on several Goals On most individual Goals, over 40 developing countries are on track • Rwanda • Tanzania • Mali • Zambia • Mozambique • Ghana • Bangladesh • Nepal

17. Success: Where It Matters Most! • Ghana, Nicaragua cut hunger by half from 1991 to 2004 • Malnutrition rates cut from 22% to 6% in NE Brazil in less than ten years • Nigeria doubled production and income of farmers from 2001 to 2007 • Malawi went from 43% food deficit in 2005 to 53% food surplus in 2007

18. Why are these countries on track? • Leadership from the top • Global MDGs adapted to National Goals • Clear Plan, Policies & Strategies • MDGs prioritized in the allocation of domestic and external resources in the budget • High focus on improving delivery mechanisms for the poor • Greater accountability and transparency at all levels – more citizen engagement • More media and public debate • International donors line up behind national priorities

20. Out-of-school children by area of residence, boys & girls 2000/2008 (Percentage)

21. Progress to Date 30 million more children in school… …but progress in central Asia/CIS regions is abysmal

23. Progress to Date Women MPs: 11% in 2000 vs 18% in 2009

26. Healthy babies are necessary for a successful future for the whole human race

27. Progress to Date The good news is that 4 million fewer children die each year…. …but still, a child dies every 3 seconds of a preventable illness

29. Access to skilled care improves health outcomes for both mother and baby Adolescent maternity is a risk factor for both mother and baby

30. Progress to Date Sub-Saharan Africa is again the region lagging behind the others in achieving this Goal

32. Children orphaned by AIDS suffer more than the loss of parents…

33. Insecticide-treated bednets help prevent the spread of malaria…. …but are not widely available

34. Progress to Date HIV/AIDS, 30% reduction in new infections in 2008 compared to 1996, 2 million receiving AntiRetroViral treatments Big advances in TB, malaria, & access to water 63 out of 117 countries on-track on malnutrition – that is 30 more than in 2006

36. The developed economies of the West have long been the major cause of man-made pollution …. …though the good news is that their emission rates are dropping. As poor nations’ economies develop, however, they burn increasing amounts of fossil fuels… “A decisive response to climate change is urgently needed.” … and their emission rates are growing rapidly.

37. Clean water and sanitation are not available to hundreds of millions of the rural poor and urban slum-dwellers

38. Progress to Date

39. Official Development Assistance to Poor Countries needs to Grow

40. Achieving the Goals: Is there a Recipe for Success? • Use Local Know-how Past development efforts have often suffered from unsustainable models: one-shot, short-term projects one-size-fits-all programs outside experts imposing “solutions” without sufficient understanding of local conditions Successful development is, by definition, sustainabledevelopment. It is achieved only when there is buy-in from all the partners.

42. Achievement of the MDGs only a Dream? No – a matter of political choice! • World total given as bail outs in 2008-9 • Est $18 trillion • Cumulative aid in the last 49 years • Less than $2 trillion • Total spent on arms in 2008 • $1.46 trillion Total aid expenditure in 2008 • about $120 billion

43. Achievement of the MDGs only a Dream? No – a matter of political choice! Resources lost through corruption by leaders of poor countries, often colluding with western governments and corporations, and mindless wars, could have more than achieved the MDGs in developing countries…… ..…and made our planet healthier, happier and more secure.

44. Take 3 Action Steps “WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?” Learn more about the MDGs: Check out the many resources available on-line Send a message to the President & Congress: Fully fund our commitments to the MDGs Drop the debt of poor countries Select a cause and organization and support their work: Volunteer your time Donate to the cause of your choice Invest in socially-responsible funds

45. Source Credits Source material for this presentation is primarily from the following: The UN Millennium Development Goals Report 2010 (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/MDG%20Report%202010%20En%20r15%20-low%20res%2020100615%20-.pdf) Bread for the World MDG Summit Briefing Paper (http://www.bread.org/institute/papers/briefing-paper-10.pdf) Additional sources referenced: Sachs, Jeffrey The End of Poverty Kristof, Nicholas and Sheryl WuDunnHalf the Sky The BorgenProject (www.borgenproject.org) Fonkoze’ (www.fonkoze.org) Oikocredit (www.oikocredit.org) Results (www.results.org)