UN and Millenium Development Goals

Today leaders from all over the world will convene at a meeting in New York at the World Summit which coincides with the opening of the 60th UN General Assembly. They will hopefully build on the commitments that the G8 leaders made earlier this summer. It marks the continued drive to unprecedented commitments at alleviating global poverty. Specific goals have been set for the next 10 years. As a Christian community, we need to be in prayer this week for these meetings. We then need to find ways to participate in meeting these goals as we spread the love of God alongside development efforts.

Here is a great statement from General Kofi Annan.....

"We will have time to reach the Millennium Development Goals –
worldwide and in most, or even all, individual countries – but only if we break with business as usual. We cannot win overnight. Success will require sustained action across the entire decade between now and the deadline. It takes time to train the teachers, nurses and engineers; to build the roads, schools and hospitals; to grow the small and large businesses able to create the jobs and income needed. So we must start now. And we must more than double global development assistance over the next few years. Nothing less will help to achieve the Goals."

Below is more info on the Millenium Development Goals - a statement directly from the UN website. http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the world's time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions-income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. They are also basic human rights-the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter, and security.

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