Current Affairs
UN released Millennium Development Goals Report 2015
The United Nations on 6 July 2015 released the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report 2015. It is an annual assessment of global and regional progress towards the eight MDGs produced by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
Progress in achieving MDGs
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
•• The number of people now living in extreme poverty has declined by more than half, falling from 1.9 billion in 1990 to 836 million in 2015. The world’s most populous countries, China and India, played a central role in the global reduction of poverty.
•• The number of people in the working middle class—living on more than 4 US dollars a day—nearly tripled between 1991 and 2015.
•• The proportion of undernourished people in the developing regions dropped by almost half since 1990.
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
•• The number of out-of-school children of primary school age worldwide fell by almost half, to an estimated 57 million in 2015, down from 100 million in 2000.
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
•• Gender parity in primary school has been achieved in the majority of countries.
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
•• The mortality rate of children under-five was cut by more than half since 1990.
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
•• Since 1990, maternal mortality fell by 45 percent worldwide.
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
•• Over 6.2 million malaria deaths have been averted between 2000 and 2015.
•• New HIV infections fell by approximately 40 percent between 2000 and 2013.
•• By June 2014, 13.6 million people living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) globally, an immense increase from just 800000 in 2003.
•• Between 2000 and 2013, tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis and treatment interventions saved an estimated 37 million lives.
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
•• Worldwide 2.1 billion people have gained access to improved sanitation.
•• Globally, 147 countries have met the MDG drinking water target, 95 countries have met the MDG sanitation target and 77 countries have met both.
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development
•• Official development assistance from developed countries increased 66 percent in real terms from 2000 and 2014, reaching 135.2 billion US dollars.
Hindrances in achieving MDGs
Although significant achievements have been made on many of the MDG targets worldwide, progress has been uneven across regions and countries, leaving significant gaps. Millions of people are being left behind, especially the poorest and those disadvantaged because of persisting gender equality, gaps between the poorest and richest households and between rural and urban areas, climate change and environmental degradation, conflicts and poverty and hunger.
Report with respect to India in achieving targets within MDGs
India fared better and is on-track in achieving the targets on following goals:
•• Universal primary education (target 2A)
•• Integration of principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs and reversing the loss of environmental resources (target 7A), and
•• Availing the benefits of new technologies especially information and communication in cooperation with private sector (target 8F)
•• India is almost nearly on track in achieving these goals
•• Halving the proportion of people living below the poverty line (target 1A)
•• Eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015 (target 3A), and
•• Halting and to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015 (target 6A)
India is almost off track on
•• Halving the proportion of people who suffer from hunger between 1990 and 2015 (target 1C)
New sustainable development agenda
Building on the success and momentum of the MDGs that are set to expire on 31 December 2015, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were proposed as part of the Post- 2015 development agenda.
In this regard, the UN Secretary-General Bank ki-moon established the UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 UN Development Agenda in 2012. The team brings together more than 60 UN agencies and international organizations to focus and work on the SDGs.