Feasible or Not? eradicate extreme poverty by 2015

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In 2000 a commitment was made to the world’s poorest to eradicate poverty, hunger, disease, maternal and child deaths, and other ills by the 2015 – The Millennium Development Goals (MDG). This commitment has spurred an unprecedented global agenda for the partnership since they were established 10 years ago. They have seen remarkable progress, including a 74 percent reduction in measles deaths, 4 million people on life-saving AIDS treatment, and more than 30 million additional children in a primary school in Africa alone.

The success stories each have major lessons for scale-up, including sound technical interventions, institutional mechanisms to deliver services, adequate finance to reach scale, and a clear focus on metrics. Ten years ago most were widely considered unachievable. This week, the UN will be discussing progress and setbacks and there have been many setbacks; unfulfilled promises, global economic crisis, lack of commitment, and more.

With only five years left until the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, UN Secretary-General has called on world leaders to attend a summit in New York on 20-22 September to accelerate progress towards the MDGs.

The eight Goals are:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDs, malaria, and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for the development

As World leaders renew commitments, we want to know what your commitment will be. What is the one thing you can do, the one action you can take to help with any one of these goals?

 

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  1. I think what we need do the most is invest in the area of sensitization. This is very much indispensible in Africa. Take Cameroon for example, many Cameroonians, I mean the common man, do not know what MDGs are. Talk less of the summit which is seating today in New York. So I think if people don’t know what their problem is, its is going to be very difficult to solve the problem.
    Take for example the first MDG goal. When you talk to some one on the street about eradication of , they immediately expect you think you’re going to give them money or some thing of the sort. Whereas it has to be the other way round. They need you to teach how to make the money and expect the money.
    We also need to let the people know that poverty does not only limit itself at the financial level. It cuts across other domains like: education, health etc. I believe if people are empowered intellectually, poverty will be a thing of the pass and hunger and the rest of the goals will be achieved. SO LETS STAND UP AND MAKE SOME NOISE FOR THE MDGS, TAKE ACTION AND PUT EVERY ONE AROUND US IN THE KNOW ABOUT THESE WORLD’S CHALLENGES.AND TOGETHER WE’LL REACH THE END OF THE ROAD. Am currently doing an internship in communication and public action at the United Nations Information Centre UNIC , Yaoundé. So together with my team, we organised a series of events about the MDGs. So I headed the team incharge on doing sensitization in hospitals in Yaoundé-Camroon. Last week we visited The Gyneco- Obstetric Hospital, Ydé and talk to patients and some medical personnel there. We also pasted MDG posters in strategic places in the hospital. This week we’ll be moving to the Ydé Central Hospital and others. This in the bid to keep all informed. This is also thanks to our Coordinator , National Information Officer UNIC,Ydé, Mrs. Anne NSANG who has been very supportive.

  2. Dear All,

    I just voted a “No” as to whether the MDGs are achievable by 2015. I have always considered the MDGs to be a replication of wanton disgrace to sub-Saharan Africa. I begin with an insight of the goals.

    The 8 MDGs are a construct of “all the world’s countries” and “leading development institutions” geared amongst others towards:
    – halving poverty,
    – halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and
    – providing universal primary education by the end of 2015 (UN MDGs: https://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/, 30.11.2007).

    “All the world’s countries” is an allusion to the United Nations Organisation. I bet we understand what the representation is, and how decision making process in the UN is organised. We know too well what the “leading development institutions are (World Bank, IMF etc). Needless to elaborate. We ought to be aware that the organisational and procedural framework for the execution of these development programmes are engineered/structured by the political agendas/interests of the North and channelled through to the South via these multinational and development institutions. They are thus conditionally applicable to the South. If you do not do this or that, we wouldn’t give you this or that aid, loan or grant. That is their song.

    From the general look of things, we would realise that the progress of the 8 MDGs is undoubtedly, significantly, imaginably and robustfully slow. 1990 to 2010 is exactly a decade from the inception of the millennium agenda. The progress is less than 50%. This kind of progress as a matter of fact should be progressively very negligible in any research results. It paints a picture of non representation owing to the overwhelming and growing population of Africa. We are in 2010, meaning that we got barely 5 years to strike 2015. What future for this kind of venture? Let’s review some progress in the area of education which is listed as goal no 2.

    Primary Education: In 2007, sub-Saharan Africa recorded a percentage increase of 16 from the 2000 (Keeping the Promise:Secretary-General’s report, March 2010; Millennium Development Goals Report 2009;Accelerating Progress on the MDGs, UNDP 2010; reports by UN agencies, funds and programmes).

    I would say that the increase in general enrollment in primary education is apparently appealing. However, we got to be informed that though primary education is the base for potential growth, it is not a core area of concern for development in Africa for example. Our own learned African Professor-Calestous Juma says the following:

    ” If you only give people primary education, they can only produce to levels that are comparable to input from primary education” (https://www.ingenia.org.uk/ingenia/articles.aspx?Index=400). We are in a very competitive global world where research and innovation are the dominant key areas of concern towards development and economic success. This is the path currently being threaded by the west; why not Africa.

    Since the emergence of Neo-Liberal free market ideologies in the ’80s, the world’s perspective on development has changed completely from mere education for the sake of it, to the theory of the knowledge economy. That is, education completely and directly invested in the growth and development of the economy. By this stance, we stand no chance to compete in the global community if we concentrate resources to primary education at the peril of Post secondary education (Tertiary-vocational and technical higher education etc).
    The G8 for example has been revising their policies on Africa to fit in this
    direction. MDGs where initiated towards Africa well after a decade into this serious global competition and perspective of the neo-liberal free market ideologies.

    I would go on and on, but if I do, it would become boring to our consumers since it’s not a term paper.

    I would appeal however that the powers that be should try to assess and evaluate the situations of Africa based on the prevailing status quo. If such is the case, lots of aids, grants, loans would not be wasted into unrewarding ventures. After all the African nations should remain indebted. Compounded by droughts, floods, wars, recurrent instabilities and other calamities rocking some African nations, there is a very blurred picture of hopes overcoming the challenges and meeting the goals in 2015.

    Just my little reflection though.

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