Millennium Development Goals

What is MDG:

In September 2000, the largest-ever gathering of world leaders ushered in the new millennium by adopting the Millennium Declaration. The Declaration, endorsed by 189 countries, was then translated into a road map setting out goals to be reached by 2015.

The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) build on agreements made at United Nations conferences in the 1990s and represent commitments by all countries to reduce poverty and hunger, and to tackle ill-health, gender inequality, lack of education, lack of access to clean water and environmental degradation.

The MDGs are framed as a compact, which recognizes both the efforts that must be undertaken by developing countries, and the contribution that developed countries can make through trade, development assistance, debt relief, access to essential medicines and technology transfer.

• Economic transformation since early 1990s without corresponding positive change in social development.
• Uneven expansion of social opportunities with growing disparities across regions, castes, sex and other characteristics.

Striking features:
• Every second young child in India is malnourished
• Less than ¼ of rural population use toilets
• Only 4 out of 10 girls who enrol complete eight years of schooling

There are two prominent trends in India: impressive economic growth and wealth creation; and stagnation in key social indicators, particularly among disadvantaged populations (i.e. geographically, by caste, gender). The rapid growth of the economy since the early 1990s, and the Government of India’s (GOI) increased commitment to accelerating social development, present a unique opportunity.

Since the inception of the ambitious 10th Five Year Plan in 2003, current rates of progress on many indicators are not sufficient to meet many of the child-related National Development Targets by 2007, nor the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

Greater effort and focus must be directed to enrolling all children in the development process through improved management and provision of quality basic social services, promoting child-related behavior change within households, and mobilizing the community to become more involved in the management of services for children.

Background

India is increasingly recognized as a global power in key economic sectors. There have also been positive trends on certain social indicators, particularly those that respond to vertical, campaign-like approaches: the near eradication of polio; a significant increase in literacy rates; and the enrollment of both boys and girls in primary school. However, progress has been slow in areas requiring systemic changes, such as in the provision of good quality services (i.e. primary health care and community-based nutrition services). There has also been limited change in the practice of key behaviors related to child well-being, such as hand washing and exclusive breastfeeding. The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to spread and poses a significant threat. Issues related to child protection, including trafficking and child labour, are becoming more pronounced. Repeated and extensive emergencies such as the tsunami, flooding and earthquakes have also adversely affected the lives of children in India. This uneven development path has been further exacerbated by striking and persistent inequities by gender, caste and geography.

GOI has adopted ambitious targets related to children that are in line with, and at times more ambitious than, the MDGS. Centrally-sponsored schemes have increased public resources to key sectors, notably the "Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan" in education (the national policy to universalize primary education), the Reproductive and Child Health Programme II, the National Rural Health Mission and the Integrated Child Development Services. The challenge remains to convert these commitments and resources into measurable results for all children, especially those belonging to socially disadvantaged and marginalized communities. 

As the graph below indicates, the importance of India to the achievement of the global MDGs cannot be overstated. Some 42% of households without latrines globally are in India, and Indian children make up one-third of the world’s malnourished children.

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

Goal 5: Improve maternal health

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Goal 7:  Ensure environmental sustainability

Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

India

• Total population (millions):  1169.0
• Population growth (annual %):  1.6
• Surface area (sq. km):  3,287,263
• GDP per capita (PPP US$):  3,827
• GDP growth (annual %):  9.2
• Inflation, GDP deflator (annual %):  4.3
• Unemployment (% of total labor force): N/A
• Life expectancy at birth (years):  62.9
• Median age of total population (years):  23.8
• Human Development Index (Rank 1 - 177):  126
• Human Development Index Value:  0.6
• Sex ratio at birth (males per 100 females):  108.0

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

• Net enrollment ratio in primary education (% both sexes):  94.2
• Percentage of pupils starting Grade 1 and reach Grade 5 (% both sexes):  73.0

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

• Gender parity Index in primary level enrollment (ratio of girls to boys):  1.0
• Literacy rates of 15-24 years old (% both sexes):  82.1
• Seats held by women in national parliament (%):  8.3

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

• Mortality rate of children under 5 years old (per 1,000 live births):  76
• 1-year-old children immunized against measles (%):  59

Goal 5: Improve maternal health

• Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 births):  450

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

• People living with HIV,15-49 yrs old (%):  0.3
• Prevalence of tuberculosis (per 100,000 people):  299

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

• Land area covered by forest (%):  22.8
• Carbon dioxide emissions per capita (metric tons):  1.2023
• Access to improved drinking water sources (% of total population):  89

Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

• Internet users (per 100 people):  10.7

Wishes and Visions

In life everyone has wishes, has ambitions and me too. Wishes varies time to time and priority changes as per situations. Some like to be on any specific position in any field whether it be a service, sports, research, business, industry or creativity fields. My ambition of professional life had limited options and I ever tried to prepare myself mentally to acquire the status of mind that effectively meet the criteria for my object but my wishes always involved such subjects that not only for me but also for the benefit of family, friends and needy people and unselfishly. I got the opportunity and I utilized it and made clear vision to get the maximum from it. Though this is in its initial stage but the hands to keep the spirit up are ready so my enthusiasm is boosted yet something is left to meet because everything is not in my hand and I came at the level where all basic necessity done and waiting for initiation of its next stage where actual results will be displayed. 

But before all I will give priority to my settle my life and acquire the required space for living normal satisfactory life for me and my family with profession except this I will join waving hands that are ready to join to uplift the needy people, eradicate evils around us and prepare a better social view that supports humanity and development. 

Though we do our best and yet it's ups and downs in life but be optimistic.