MDGs and SDGs

Question 1

What are the MDGs, and give some examples?

Answer 1

• Millennium Development Goals
• 8 targets set by many countries to reduce extreme poverty and improve the lives of people living in it.
• Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, promote gender equality, reduce child mortality, ensure environmental sustainability.

Question 2

What did the MDGs incorporate?

Answer 2

21 more specific goals to be achieved by the end of 2015, such as halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty.

Question 3

Who else was committed to the MDGs?

Answer 3

Many global organisations, such as World Bank, IMF, WTO. This marked the largest ever international attempt to rid the world of extreme poverty. Also, many NGOs.

Question 4

What are the SDGs?

Answer 4

• Sustainable Development Goals.
• Adopted in 2016 after MDGs, for 2030.
• They are a more ambitious set of goals (17). eg no poverty, gender equality, zero hunger, climate action, quality education.

Question 5

How does aid link to the SDGs?

Answer 5

Aid should go towards completing the SDGs.

Question 6

What are some successes of the MDGs?

Answer 6

• Halved extreme poverty by 2015; 1.9 billion to 836 million.
• Most successful anti-poverty movement due to sheer number of people committed.
• Enabled more girls to go to school.
• Women now make up 41% of paid workers outside the agricultural sector.

Question 7

What are some failures of the MDGs?

Answer 7

• Still many women dying in pregnancy, eg South Sudan.
• Global emissions increased, not decreased. Increased by over 50% since 1990.
• Still large conflict issues, such as Ukraine Russia.
• Still many living in extreme poverty, mainly in same areas.