Millennium Development Goals (MDG) refers to measures that are geared towards improving people’s lives either socially or economically in all developing countries (World Health Organisation, 2005).
Millennium development goals aim to promote gender equality, reduce the rate at which children die, eliminate diseases like HIV/Aids and Malaria, ensure equal distribution of resources, eliminate hunger, promote literacy, and ensure the conservation of the environment (United Nations, 2006).
MDGs have been successful in some Sub-Saharan African countries and in China where a number of these goals have been met (Skolnik, 2011). Although the growth is slow, positive progress has been recorded worldwide (Kabeer, 2003).
Core targets include poverty reduction, ensuring the production of drought-resistant crops, and making primary school education to be available to all individuals (Noeleen, 2005). Other targets include promotion of gender equality, ensuring a safe child delivery process, making medical care accessible to all, and fighting deadly diseases like Malaria and Tuberculosis among others (United Nations, 2006). The last target is to ensure that people access proper medical treatment (Grown, 2005).
These targets have been achieved in China where poverty has been minimized, in Kenya where hunger eradication programs have been effective, and in Ghana where people can now access free primary education (Haines and Cassels, 2004). Technology has been used to enlighten individuals globally.
References
Haines, A., & Cassels, A. (2004). Can The Millennium Development Goals Be Attained? British Medical Journal, 329(7462):394-397.
Grown, C. (2005). Answering the Skeptics: Achieving Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals. Development Journal, 48(3): 82–86.
Kabeer, N. (2003). Gender Mainstreaming in Poverty Eradication and the Millennium Development Goals: A Handbook for Policy-Makers and Other Stakeholders. London: Commonwealth Secretariat.
Noeleen, H. (2005). Making the Links: Women’s Rights and Empowerment are Key to Achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Millennium Development Goals, 13(1): 9-12.
Skolnik, R. (2011). Global Health 101. (2nd edn.). Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
United Nations. (2006). Millennium Development Goals Report: 2006. United Nations development programme, 1(1): 1-30.
World Health Organisation. (2005). Health and the Millennium Development Goals. Paris: Kaolis Publishers.