In 2000, at the Millennium Summit, 189 Member States of the United Nations declared they would ‘spare no effort’ to achieve 8 Goals aimed at raising the level of development, health and prosperity of the world. They would achieve this by 2015.

What are the Millennium Development Goals?

There are 8 Goals:

1. eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. achieve universal primary education
3. promote gender equality and empowerment of women
4. reduce child mortality globally
5. improve maternal health globally
6. accelerate the combat of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases
7. ensure environmental sustainability
8. develop a global partnership for development.

What is the UK doing to achieve the Millennium Development Goals?

Our international development policy is closely aligned with the Millennium Development Goals.

We are the second largest bilateral donor government in the world – we currently spend £6.85 billion a year on overseas development assistance and billions more on initiatives for:

• education
• poverty reduction
• HIV/AIDS and Malaria
• the environment.

The Department for International Development lead the UK’s work on this. Their website has more info.

Are we on target for 2015?

The UK recognises the world is not on target to meet these historic commitments in 2015.

Progress has been achieved in many countries around the world. This happens when the right policies and reforms have been combined with sufficient resources.

But results are patchy and 7 years later, and half way to 2015, we are not on track to meet our historic commitments.

The UK is pushing to get the Millennium Development Goals back on track.

UK and Millennium Development Goal Call to Action

British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, declared a ‘development emergency’ and launched the Millennium Development Goal Call to Action with the support of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (July 2007).

13 major countries and 21 major global businesses have signed this declaration which aims to galvanise the international community and to accelerate progress on the Goals by:

• building a common vision on what needs to be done – we'll do this by building on successes and identifying and improving gaps in current work
• harnessing the efforts of relevant international organisations, governments, private sector, civil society, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and faith groups
• identifying milestones to measure progress and inspire more action
• creating the political energy and public interest to make 2008 a turning point in the fight against global poverty.

47 countries have answered the Call to Action. This represents:

• 68% of the global population
• 84% of total GDP (2007)
• contributions of over $100 billion (US) in overseas development aid.

The Department for International Development’s website has more info on the Call to Action.

Millennium Development Goals at the UN General Assembly

The Millennium Development Goals are the focus for this year’s United Nations General Assembly in New York (Sep 2008).

The latest news and developments from the Assembly are on our United Nations General Assembly news file.

The Business Call to Action

The UK Government partnered with the United Nations Development Programme to hold an event in London in May 2008 to announce the Business Call to Action. Delegates included:

• British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown
• President of Ghana, John Kufuor and President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame
• President of the UN General Assembly, Dr. Srgjan Kerim
• 29 ambassadors from Call to Action signatory countries
• many CEOs
• leaders from non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• government ministers.

The Business Call to Action encourages and supports global businesses to develop new and innovative ways to spread growth, prosperity and opportunity in developing countries.

By showcasing existing success stories, the aim is to inspire companies to commit to commercially viable initiatives that use their core business to support the Millennium Development Goals, rather than encouraging more philanthropy or corporate social responsibility.

The Department for International Development’s website has more info on the Business Call to Action.