Millenium Development Goals

Question 1

why were millenium development goals made?

Answer 1

mid 1990s –> crisis in development aid. end of cold war meant cold war aliance-based development aid ended. International organizations needed a “big idea” to inject enthusiasm into poverty reduction
-MDG resulted in donation increases double between 2000 and 2005

Question 2

what are the MDG

Answer 2

8 goals with specific targets and deadlines

(1) eradicate extreme poverty/hunger
(2) achieve universal primary education
(3) to promote gender equality
(4) reduce child mortality
(5) improve maternal health
(6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
(7) ensure environmental stability
(8) develop global partnership for development

Question 3

basic arguments against MDG

Answer 3

• unrealistic, top-down, tick-box excersise inflicted upon developing countires without their consent
• lack of political will to implement because of lack of ownership by the most affected countries
• lack of analysis and justification behind the chosen objectives
• perceived as one-size fits all
• little consideration for feasability @ regional or country level
• didn’t give developing countries chance to make their own systems or resolve their own problems
• lack of appropriate measurements (how to measure? not all goals have numeric target. lack of scientific validity, high poverty => less reliable data collection)
• what is the money going to?

Question 4

were MDGs attainable?

Answer 4

some targets were achievable, some were fantasy

e. g. Goal 1: we have seen substantial rise in people living on at least 1.25/day, but we can’t make jobs for everyone
e. g. Goal 2: increase enrollment at the expense of achievement. Also, emphasis on primary education isn’t necessarily helpful or everyone

Question 5

did MDGs make a difference?

Answer 5

most indications of human life (e.g. life expectancy, literacy, income, mortality) improved between 2000 and 2015.
But did MDGs cause that? China did great. MDGs or economic/technological (i.e. internet) development?

Question 6

what next?

Answer 6

sustainable development goals.
17 goals, 169 indicators, by 2030.
inclusive process of consulting governments, institutions, and aid organizations