The Millennium Development Goals

In 2000, eight Millennium Development Goals were agreed by the United Nations to tackle the world’s main development challenges. The goals address poverty, health, education, equality and the environment.

There are strong links between all of these issues and ill health, so each goal will support better health. The goals are supposed to be achieved by 2015, but progress has been slow and some are way off track. The failure of wealthy countries to live up to their cash commitments for aid to developing countries is the biggest reason for this.

Our view:

• Wealthy countries must: 
  • Increase their development aid contributions to 0.7% of gross national income, as promised in 1970
  • Cancel the huge debts owed by developing countries, and reform trade rules that harm developing economies
  • Ensure fair and affordable access to essential medicines and new technologies.
• Developing countries should increase the proportion of spending going to health. African Union countries pledged in 2001 to devote 15% of national budgets to health, but few have been able to come close to this.
  

What is Health Poverty Action doing to help?

The vast majority of Health Poverty Action's projects are working towards fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals. Two specific examples are:

• Our Laos food security project reduces degradation of wetlands so they can be used for sustainable food production and to reduce malnutrition.
• In Guatemala, our child rights project provides education to working children who are unable to attend school.
  

Learn more about the Millennium Development Goals:

• How did the Millennium Development Goals come about?
• How do the goals relate to health?
• Will the goals be met?
• Who is responsible for meeting the goals – wealthy countries or developing countries?
• Can eight goals really address all our development challenges?