United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) concluded on 22 September, 2010 in New York with the

adoption of a global action plan to achieve the eight anti-poverty goals by 2015 target date. It followed announcement of major new commitments for womens and childrens health and other initiatives against poverty, hunger and disease. The outcome document of the three-day Summit Keeping the Promise : United to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals reaffirms world leaders commitment to the MDGs and sets out a concrete action agenda for achieving the Goals by 2015. Based on examples of success and lessons learned over the last ten years, the document spells out specific steps to be taken by all stakeholders to accelerate progress on each of the eight Goals. It also affirms that, despite setbacks due to the economic and financial crises, remarkable progress has been made

on fighting poverty, increasing school enrolment and improving health in many countries, and the Goals remain achievable. Background of MDGs When 189 Heads of State and government from the North and South, as representatives of their citizens, signed onto the Millennium Declaration at the 2000 UN Millennium Summit, there was a palpable sense of urgency. Urgency to "free our fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty, to which more than a billion of them are currently subjected. Since then many events have been unfolded while trying to meet those goals. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international development goals that all 193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015. They include eradicating extreme

poverty, reducing child mortality rates, fighting disease epidemics such as AIDS, and developing a global partnership for development. These are the goals and targets : 1. End poverty and hunger Over the years, we've been inundated with the statistics and the pictures of poverty around the world, so much so that many people in both the North and South have come to accept it as an unfortunate but unalterable state of affairs. The truth, however, is that things have changed in recent years. The world today is more prosperous than it ever has been. The technological advances we have seen in recent years have created encouraging new opportunities to improve economies and reduce hunger. The Targets Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day. Achieve full and productive employment and decent work

for all, including women and young people. Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. 2. Universal educationEvery human being should have the opportunity to make a better life for themselves. Unfortunately, too many children in the world today grow up without this chance, because they are denied their basic right to even attend primary school. A sustainable end to world poverty as we know it, as well as the path to peace and security, requires that citizens in every country are empowered to make positive choices and provide for themselves and their families. The Targets Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. 3. Gender equalityPoverty

has a woman's face. Global prosperity and peace will only be achieved once the entire world's people are empowered to order their own lives and provide for themselves and their families. Societies where women are more equal stand a much greater chance of achieving the Millennium Goals by 2015. Every single Goal is directly related to women's rights, and societies where women are not afforded equal rights as men can never achieve development in a sustainable manner. The Target Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015. 4. Child healthOne of the darkest characteristics of poverty is that is seems to prey on the vulnerable and defenceless. In lowincome countries, one out of every 10 children dies before the age of five. In wealthier nations, this number is only

one out of 143. The Targets Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate. 5. Maternal healthMany people consider the day their child was born the happiest day in their life. In poorer countries, the day a child born is all too often the day its mother dies. The lifetime risk of dying in pregnancy and childbirth in Africa is 1 in 22, while it is 1 in 120 in Asia and 1 in 7,300 in developed countries. The Targets Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio [MMR]. PD/December/2010/1043 You must do the thing you think you cannot do. Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health [UARH]. 6. Combat HIV/AIDSMalaria, together with HIV/AIDS and TB, is one of the major public health challenges undermining development in the poorest countries in the world.

Malaria kills an African child every 30 seconds. Many children who survive an episode of severe malaria may suffer from learning impairments or brain damage. Pregnant women and their unborn children are also particularly vulnerable to malaria, which is a major cause of prenatal mortality, low birth weight and maternal anaemia. The Targets Have halted by 2015 and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/ AIDS. Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/ AIDS for all those who need it. Have halted by 2015 and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases. 7. Environmental sustainabilityReducing poverty and achieving sustained development must be done in conjunction with a healthy planet. The Millennium Goals recognize that environmental sustainability is part of global economic and social well-being. Unfortunately exploitation of natural resources such as forests, land, water, and fisheriesoften by the powerful few have

caused alarming changes in our natural world in recent decades, often harming the most vulnerable people in the world who depend on natural resources for their livelihood. The Targets Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources. Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss. Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers. 8. Global partnershipThe Millennium Goals represent a global partnership for development. The deal makes clear that it is the primary responsibility of poor countries to work towards achieving the first seven Goals. They must do their part

to ensure greater accountability to citizens and efficient use of resources. But for poor countries to achieve the first seven Goals, it is absolutely critical that rich countries deliver on their end of the bargain with more and more effective aid, more sustainable debt relief and fairer trade rules, well in advance of 2015. The Targets Develop further an open, rulebased, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system. Include a commitment to good governance, development and poverty reduction both nationally and internationally. Address the special needs of the least developed countries Includes : tariff and quota free access for the least developed countries exports; enhanced programme of debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) and cancellation of official bilateral debt; and more generous ODA for countries committed to poverty reduction.

 Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries and small island developing States (through the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and the outcome of the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly). Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term. In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries. In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications. Outcome of the Summit General Assembly adopts the following outcome document of the High-level Plenary Meeting on the

Millennium Development Goals We, Heads of State and Government, gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 20 to 22 September 2010, welcome the progress made since we last met here in 2005 while expressing deep concern that it falls far short of what is needed. Recalling the development goals and commitments emanating from the Millennium Declaration and the 2005 World Summit Outcome we reaffirm our resolve to work together for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples. They (participants) were convinced that the Millennium Development Goals can be achieved, including in the poorest countries, with renewed commitment, effective implementation and intensified collective action by all Member States and other relevant stakeholders at both the domestic and international levels, using national development strategies and appropriate policies and approaches that have proved to be effective, with strengthened institutions at all levels, increased

mobilization of resources for development, increased effectiveness of development cooperation and an enhanced global partnership for development. In the summit emphasis was put on a broad based policy formulation and its executionthey recognize that all the Millennium Development Goals are interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Therefore the need is to pursue these Goals through a holistic and comprehensive approach. Outcome document call on civil society, including non-governmental organizations, voluntary associations and foundations, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders at the local, national, regional and global levels, to enhance their role in national development efforts as well as their contribution to PD/December/2010/1044 Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality. the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, and commit as national Governments to the inclusion of these stakeholders.

In an effort to achieve those goals some of the important steps taken by different stakeholders are : The European Union [EU] offered funding amounting to 1 billion to the most committed and needy countries to make progress on the goals they are furthest from achieving. The World Bank announced an increase in the scope of its results-based health programmes by more than $ 600 million until 2015 to scale up essential health and nutrition services and strengthen the underlying health systems in 35 countries, particularly in East Asia, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The World Bank will increase its support to agriculture to between $ 6 billion and $ 8 billion a year over the next three years, up from $ 4.1 billion annually before 2008, under its Agriculture Action Plan to help boost incomes, employment and food

security in many low-income areas. France announced funding of $ 1.4 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for 2011-2013, an increase of 20 per cent. The United States announced a commitment of $ 50.82 million over the next five years for a Global Alliance for Clean Cook stoves, a public-private partnership led by the United Nations Foundation seeking to install 100 million clean-burning stoves in kitchens around the world. The United Kingdom announced a tripling in its financial contributions to fight malaria, increasing its funds for malaria from 150 million a year to 500 million by 2014. Canada reaffirmed its commitment to mobilize more than $10 billion from G8 and non-G8 leaders, key donors and private foundations over the next five years through the Muskoka

Initiative for maternal, newborn and child health adopted at the G8 Summit. Belgium pledged 400,000 for the Fourth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries, to take place in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2011. Challenges of MDGs Although developed countries' aid for the achievement of the MDGs has been rising over the recent years, it has shown that more than half is towards debt relief owed by poor countries. As well, the remaining aid money goes towards natural disaster relief and military aid which does not further the country into development. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2006), the 50 least developed countries only receive about one third of all aid that flows from developed countries, raising the issue of aid not moving from rich to poor depending on their development needs but

rather from rich to their closest allies. Many development experts question the MDGs model of transferring billions of dollars directly from the wealthy nation governments to the often bureaucratic or corrupt governments in developing countries. This form of aid has led to extensive cynicism by the general public in the wealthy nations, and hurts support for expanding badly needed aid. The recent announcements of help and aid by the developed world and other donor institutions to the third world countries are welcoming steps but how it unfolds on the ground is critical in achieving the main objective. Conclusion : Pro-activism of all Required In the words of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moonthis Summit has laid a solid foundation for the progress we need in our quest to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by the internationally agreed deadline of 2015. Through the participation of a large number of Heads of State and Government as well as

leaders from civil society, the private sector and the philanthropic community, this event has galvanized worldwide attention.