Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the eight  targets of the United Nations. They were decided in 2000. All 189 United Nations member states (there are 193 now), and at least 23 international organizations, said they would try to help achieve the goals by 2015:

 To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 
 To achieve universal primary education 
 To promote gender equality
 To reduce child mortality
 To improve maternal health
 To combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
 To ensure environmental sustainability., United Nations Millennium Development Goals website, retrieved 21 September 2013
 To develop a global partnership for development.Background page, United Nations Millennium Development Goals website, retrieved 16 June 2009

Each goal had specific targets, and dates for reaching those targets. To help progress, the G8 finance ministers agreed in June 2005 to provide enough funds to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to cancel $40 to $55 billion in debt owed by poor countries. This was to allow them to use resources  for improving health, education and reducing poverty.

Developed countries' aid for the MDGs rose during the period. More than half went for debt relief. Much of the rest went towards natural disaster relief and military aid, instead of development.

 References 

Category:History of the United Nations
Category:Development