THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight goals with measurable targets
and clear deadlines for improving the lives of the world's poorest people. To meet these goals
and eradicate poverty, leaders of 189 countries signed the historic millennium declaration at
the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000. At that time, eight goals that range from
providing universal primary education to avoiding child and maternal mortality were set with
a target achievement date of 2015.
The MDG-F contributed directly and indirectly to the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals, with the main driver behind its work being the eradication of extreme
poverty. The Fund adopted an inclusive and comprehensive approach to the MDGs,
embracing the discourse on climate change as it relates to poverty while incorporating other
programmed areas that are recognized as prerequisites and/or mechanisms for MDG
achievement. Our approach was guided by the Millennium Declaration and its emphasis on
development as a right, with targeted attention directed towards traditionally marginalized
groups such as ethnic minorities, indigenous groups and women.
Eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
1. Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
Reduce by half the proportion of people whose
income is less than $1 a day.
Achieve full and productive employment and
decent work for all, including women and young
people.
Reduce by half the proportion of people who
suffer from hunger.
2. Achieve Universal Primary Education
Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full
course of primary schooling.
3. Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Eliminate gender disparity in primary and
secondary education preferably by 2005, and in
all levels of education no later than 2015.
4. Reduce Child Mortality
Reduce by two thirds the mortality of children
under five.
5. Improve Maternal Health
Reduce maternal mortality by three quarters.
Achieve universal access to reproductive health.
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases
Halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment
for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it.
Halt and reverse the incidence of malaria and
other major diseases.
7. Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Integrate principles of sustainable development
into country policies and programs; reverse the
loss of environmental resources.
Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a
significant reduction in the rate of loss.
Halve the proportion of people without access to
safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
Improve the lives of at least 100 million slum
dwellers by 2020.
8. A Global Partnership for Development
Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable,
non-discriminatory trading and financial system.
Address special needs of the least developed
countries, landlocked countries and small island
developing States.
Deal comprehensively with developing countries’
debt.
In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies,
provide access to affordable essential drugs in
developing countries.
In cooperation with the private sector, make
available the benefits of new technologies,
especially information and communications
technologies.
Global Commitment to the Millennium Development Goals
In September 2000, one hundred and eighty-nine UN member-countries -- rich and
poor alike -- reaffirmed their commitment to peace and security, good governance,
and attention to the most vulnerable with the adoption of the Millennium Declaration.
Containing commitments to achieve the eight MDGs and the specific targets under
them by 2015, the Millennium Declaration reflects the vision of entire nations,
working together with international and country-based organizations, to wipe out
poverty and the worst forms of human deprivation, and lay the foundations for
sustainable human development by the year 2015.
The overarching need is to ensure that the MDGs are integrated into and given top
priority in each committed country's development planning efforts: with efficient
monitoring, localization, and advocacy systems put in place; crucial financing
secured; multisectoral support mobilized; and an enabling environment created with
an MDG-responsive policy framework and legislation.
Philippine Commitment to the Millennium Development Goals
Since the Philippines first resolved to adopt the MDGs, it has made encouraging
strides, particularly towards the attainment of targets on reducing extreme poverty;
child mortality; the incidence of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; on improving
gender equality in education; and improving households' adequate dietary intake as
well as access to safe drinking water.
Underpinning these gains are two facts. First, the MDGs have been tightly integrated
into the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) 2004-2010, thus
allowing government strategies, policies and action plans to simultaneously address
national and MDG targets.
Second, the government has continually closely monitored its own rate of progress in
MDG indicators, and used this information to fine-tune its planning and
implementation, especially to ensure effective implementation at the local level.
Nevertheless, serious challenges and threats remain with regard to targets on maternal
health, access to reproductive health services, nutrition, primary education, and
environmental sustainability. And glaring disparities across regions persist, as do
severe funding constraints.
The overall probability of attaining the targets remains high, though dependent largely
on the confluence of several factors, among them: scaling up of current efforts on all
target areas; more efficient synchronization and allocation of available limited
resources, including mobilization of additional resources; and stronger advocacy for
and enhanced capability to implement the MDGs at the local level.
REFERENCES
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Jomz Cañelas. (2020, December 15). 8 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aojBOTu47no
Legaspi, Perla, Handbook on Local Government Unit and Schools of Public Administration
Partnership, National College of Public Administration and Governance, University
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