The Millennium Development Goals

-

In the year 2000, 189 world leaders sat down together and formulated the UN’s Millennium Declaration, and they defined eight goals that were to safeguard a dignified, sustainable future for the population of the whole world. Since then the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have formed the benchmark for international development cooperation and thus also for Denmark’s work with development cooperation.

The eight development goals

The point of departure of the Millennium Development Goals is the desire to provide better living conditions for the poor population of the world before 2015. In concrete terms, the eight goals are:

1. Halve poverty and hunger in the world
2. Basic schooling for all
3. Increased gender equality
4. Reduce child mortality by two-thirds
5. Reduce maternal mortality by three-fourths
6. Fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Safeguard the development of a sustainable environment
8. Increase cooperation on development assistance, trade and debt remission

The MDGs are continuously monitored

Every year the General Assembly of the UN is presented with a status report showing progress achieved in meeting the MDGs, and similar reports are drawn up at national level with the support of the UNDP and the UN’s other country offices.
The first seven goals oblige the developing countries mainly to ensure that the goals are incorporated in their national poverty strategies and finance legislation.
The eighth MDG commits countries of the world to establish a global partnership. This includes the countries contributing to the realization of the goals through financial and technical assistance.

•