Apart from their title, the Millennium Development Goals are not new. These problems were already major concerns for world leaders and international cooperation agencies in the 1990s. The Millennium Declaration of 2000 was signed to stop and reverse human conditions that worsened since the 1980s, and particularly since the end of the Cold War. As such, the Declaration itself covers or cuts across issues of peace security and development, including the environment, protection of vulnerable groups, human rights and governance. First set of goals shared by developing and developed countries alike. It’s a shared responsibility between developed and developing countries: Goals 1-7 call on governments in developing countries to channel resources towards these objectives by reforming their policies and improving governance. Goal 8 calls on rich countries like Canada to recognize that meeting the Goals can only be achieved through a global partnership in which rich countries must provide more and better aid, debt relief and more just trade rules. First set of goals of this kind that are measurable and time-bound. Each of the 191 countries who signed the Millennium Declaration is required to synchronize their poverty reduction plans with the Goals and their specific targets. Reaching the Goals means progress towards human rights Each Goal has corresponding human rights to the extend that any progress on one Goal means that we are that much closer to securing human rights. Efforts on the Goals have mobilized huge resources that are helping promote crucial human rights like health and access to education. The Goals also provide benchmarks against which progress or failures to secure human rights can be tracked and actions taken to change the situation. The Goals are essential to global security Kofi Annan, (former) United Nations Secretary-General said: ““ development, security and human rights go hand in hand. In a world of inter-connected threats and opportunities, it is in each country’s self-interest that all of these challenges are addressed effectively”… Gross inequalities create global instability which contributes to war, terrorism, forced migration and the collapse of industry. Meeting the Goals would free people from dehumanizing conditions and promote peace.
These Goals contain 18 measurable targets and indicators to help track progress towards them . For example, the target for Goal 5 is to reduce the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters. Comparisons are in relation to world conditions prevailing in 1990. Reference for facilitator: Targets: Goal 1 Reduce by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day. Reduce by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. Goal 2 Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling. Goal 3 Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015. Goal 4 Reduce by two thirds the mortality rate of children under five. Goal 5 Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio. Goal 6 Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS. Halt and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases. Goal 7 Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources. Reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water. Achieve significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers, by 2020. Goal 8 Include more and better aid, trade justice and debt cancellation
After the Summit in 2000, the United Nations launched a worldwide Millennium Campaign to encourage young people’s involvement in supporting the MDGs. In Canada, organizations and student groups concerned with global issues decided to combine their efforts in one Canadian campaign: 8 Goals for a Better World. By championing the Goals together and calling for policies to achieve them, students and organizations can multiply their power, ideas, and impact.
When October 16th, 17th, 18th, 2009: From 12 a.m. GMT (relevant local time) on the 16th October to 11.39 p.m. GMT (relevant local time) on the 18th October Where Wherever people who want to be involved in the fight against poverty and support the achievement of the MDGs are. What Stand Up, Take Action, End Poverty Now! A three day mobilization to send a loud and clear message from citizens to leaders of rich and poor countries to take urgent action to achieve the MDGs. And once again break the Guinness World Record. Participants will need to register their event at www.standagainstpoverty.org before the start of the mobilization and then to report their numbers after they have taken part. Numbers will be counted and verified by Guinness World Records. Thematic Focus This year Stand Up will once again provide an energetic, high impact platform for people to raise the profile of MDG- related issues relevant to their region, country or community. However, this year Stand Up will begin on October 16th, World Food Day, and on this one day the focus on food security and on hunger will be greater. As always, the policy demands will be determined at the national and local levels by participants. But in recognition of the fact that many of the MDGs directly linked to the status of women are not doing well, campaigners are encouraged to give this year's Stand Up a clear focus on holding governments accountable for improving the status of women and their rights. This might range from a focus on improving maternal mortality or hunger and nutritional status for women and girls in poor countries. In rich countries this could be adapted to demanding urgent reform of trade-distorting agricultural subsidies. Top line Messages to leaders and policy makers • Time is running out, urgent and decisive implementation of MDG-related policies, budgets and programmes cannot wait any longer • Do not use the financial crisis as an excuse for ignoring and reneging on your commitments to the MDGs, we, the citizens of your own countries will not stand for it. The poor didn't cause this crisis; they can't be allowed to suffer for it. • Do not believe that internal domestic challenges such as job losses, financial instability and insecurity will drive societies inwards. Despite these domestic challenges, it is clear now more than ever, that we live in an interdependent world and that we need to find global solutions to revert the current scenario. This is why we are even more ready to Stand Up and demand that promises made to end poverty and inequality are kept, for us and for everyone. More information on www.standagainstpoverty.org Each year WUSC receives a number of resources for the STAND UP event which will be distributed in the first week of October. It’s important to register your committee on My Committee, to indicate your interest in participating in the 8 Goals campaign, and to describe the activity that your committee is planning in order to receive these materials.