The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

The MDGs are the most recent statement of commitment toward narrowing the gap between the developed and the developing regions of the world. But how realistic are these goals? While goals help in making assessment of progress, they should not be blind to existing potentials for progress. In september 2000 the largest ever gathering of heads of state ushered in the new millennium by adopting the UN millenium declaration. the declaration indorsed by 189 countries was then translated in to a roadmap setting out goals to be reached by 2015. The eigth goals in the section of development and poverty eradication are known as the Millennium Development Goals. They build on agreement made at major UN Conference of the 1990s and present commitment to:
v Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
v Achieve universal primary education.
v Promote gender equality and empower women.
v Reduce child motality.
v Improve maternal health.
v Combat pandemic disease, that is, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tubarculosis.
v Ensure environmental sustainability.
v Develop a global partnership for development.

Are international goals worthwhile?
Sceptics may question whether it is worthwhile to have ambitious goals of this nature, givin the patchy track records on the implimentation of privious international declarations. Although goals and targets by themselves can not achieved change, they are worthwhile for several reasons: first, they provides a focus for development efforts and a lens through which to assess government plans, budget, and poiverty reduction strategies. Secondly, they demonstrate beyond doubt the need for urgent action by showing how far progress lags behind expectation.
How realistic are the MDGs?
According to Andy Haine’s reaction, the MDGs represent desirable end, they are not a priscription for the means by which those end are to be achieved. They shows nothing for example ,about the importance of effetive health systems, which are essentials of achievement of all of the health goals, or the importance of rural infrastructure in reducing maternal motality. This in turn raises the question, what are the impact of these goals to rural development? Health goals are expressed as national average, rather than gain among poor or disadvantaged group.this means that significant progress at non poor groups, can result to the achievment of the goals eventhough only minor improvements have been made in the health of the poor.