The Problem-Global Poverty Today, in the midst of unprecedented global wealth, over 1 billion people live in abject poverty on less than $1 a day. 50,000 people die each day from preventable, poverty-related diseases. 800 million people are going hungry in a bountiful creation. Poverty is a major threat to life, security, and sustainable development, and it is unnecessary. Solutions are known and global resources are more than adequate to end extreme poverty. for a complete summary The Millennium Development Goals: Where are we at?
Goal 1: Eradicate Hunger and Extreme Poverty
The UN anticipates that, on the whole, global poverty will be halved by 2015. Poverty reduction rates, however, still vary greatly by region. • The global economic recession slowed poverty reduction rates significantly. • Rapid economic growth in China lifted 475 million people out of extreme poverty, but sub-Saharan Africa saw 100 million more extremely impoverished people in 2005 than in 1990. • Employment growth rates have stagnated in most of the world; no progress is foreseen in sub-Saharan Africa. • By 2015, one billion people globally are still expected to live in extreme poverty. Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
Significant progress is being made, but too slowly to achieve this goal by 2015. • Sub-Saharan Africa saw a 15 percent increase in enrollment, but remains home to nearly half of the world’s 72 million out-of-school children; Southern Asia follows with 18 million.
• The recession led to education budget cuts worldwide, slowing down the rate of progress on this goal.
Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Despite some progress in this area, the 2005 gender equality goal for primary and secondary school has yet to be achieved.
• In the workforce, women continue to assume the greatest share of unpaid and/or vulnerable work.
• In politics, the increase in the proportion of women holding leadership positions remains slow. Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality The under-five mortality rate is declining in most regions due to intensified child survival efforts.
• 2007: global average birth mortality rate was 67 deaths per 1,000 live births—down from 93 in 1990.
• Sub-Saharan Africa: one-in-seven children die before their fifth birthday; this region accounts for half of global deaths under-five.
Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health
The least progress has been made toward this goal, but some progress has been made in some regions.
• Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births: Developed Regions: 9; Developing Regions: 450; Worst 14 countries in this category: 1,000+ • Pressing issues: availability of health personnel, antenatal care, family planning and young pregnancies.
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases
The number of newly-HIV-infected people is decreasing, but the number of people living with HIV is rising.
• Increased access to antiretroviral treatment has resulted in increased life expectancy amongst AIDS patients.
• Global funding for malaria control has increased.
• The number of new tuberculosis cases has peaked and is leveling off; prevalence and mortality rates are dropping, but the goal of halving the prevalence of and mortality from TB by 2015 will likely not be met.
Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, and remind us of the urgency of the climate change problem.
• Global CO2 emissions (billions of metric tons): Year 1990: 21.9; Year 2006: 28.7
• Much needed action in reducing number of species under threat of extinction and fish species under duress. • Focus needed to avert global water crisis, through more efficient use of water resources, especially in agriculture.
Goal 8: Develop Global Partnerships for Development Honouring commitments to increase aid is crucial during this time of economic crisis.
• Total aid still short of UN target of 0.7 percent of GNI; only five countries reached goal in 2008. • Significant improvement in proportion of imports from developing countries admitted duty free by developed countries in 2007.
• As of March 2009, 24 of 35 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries received $54.3 billion in committed debt relief in exchange for certain conditions; Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative also provided $22.8 billion in additional assistance to some of these countries. We call on the Government of Canada to:
Make global poverty reduction a high priority in Canada's International Policy The Micah Challenge calls for poverty reduction to become a clearly articulated priority in Canada's international policy and, specifically, for urgent and meaningful policy change in three areas: more and better aid, trade justice and debt relief.
Deliver More and More Effective Aid The Micah Challenge calls for Canada to set 2015 as the year it will meet the long-established aid target of 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) and put in place a timetable of gradual increases to this goal, starting with a 12% increase in the next budget. We also call on Canada to make poverty reduction the single focus for Canada's aid program through a legislated mandate and accountability to the mandate. more on Aid
Agricultural Trade that Works for the Poor The Micah Challenge calls for Canada to take a more positive stance towards development requirements in international agricultural trade negotiations, both regionally (Free Trade Agreement of the Americas) and globally (World Trade Organization). We also call for Canada to push for international agricultural trade rules that encourage improving the livelihoods of small farmers in developing countries, a vital element in tackling poverty and hunger (the first millennium development goal). more on Trade
Debt Relief - The Micah Challenge calls for Canada to work with G-8 leaders on a financing plan for debt cancellation that does not include cuts to foreign aid, push for cancellation of debts owed to multilateral financial institutions for all poor countries. We also call for Canada to work toward replacing World Bank control of debt management with increased accountability of governments to their own citizens for the use of money saved. Resources freed up by debt cancellation are needed to achieve the MDGs. It is time to act. more on Debt
|