Millennium Development Goals

	What are the MDGs?		Praying & Preaching on the MDGs
	Micah Challenge and other Christian campaigns are supporting the Millennium Development Goals. But what are the MDGs? Who agreed them, what aspects of development do they cover, and how are they measured? more>>		"As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we include each week . . ." joining in the Micah reflections and other ways of praying for the MDGs . . . more>>
	Campaigns around the MDGs		What Can My Church Do?
	Because the MDGs were agreed by 189 of the world's governments, they offer a strong platform for campaigning. Find out how three of the world's biggest campaigns are meeting the challenge more >>		Commit to pray for the eradication of poverty? Organise a special service? Wear the White Band, Blow the Whistle or Stand Up and Speak Out? Find out more about a specific goal, and lobby? Work with partner organisations on the Goals? more>>
	Resources		More Information
	Some resources on the Millennium Development Goals more>>		Where to find some further information about the Millennium Development Goals more>>

What are the Millennium Development Goals?

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight goals to be achieved by 2015. They offer a way of responding to -- and evaluating our response to -- some of the many, often closely linked development challenges that the world faces. The MDGs are drawn from the actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration, a document which was adopted by 189 nations-and signed by 147 heads of state and governments during the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000.

The 8 MDGs are:

* 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

The 8 MDGs break down into 18 quantifiable targets that are measured by 48 indicators. You can find these listed in the "The MDGs in More Detail" section of this website.

The MDGs in More Detail -- A Full List

The 8 MDGs break down into 18 quantifiable (able to be measured) targets that are measured by 48 indicators or statistics that show whether the targets are being met. The list below gives the targets for each goal, together with the indicators and the UN agencies responsible for compiling them.

Goal 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Target 1: Reduce by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day

1. Proportion of Population Below $1 (PPP) per Day (World Bank)
2. Poverty Gap Ratio, $1 per day (World Bank)
3. Share of Poorest Quintile in National Income or Consumption (World Bank)

Target 2: Reduce by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger

4. Prevalence of Underweight Children Under Five Years of Age (UNICEF)
5. Proportion of the Population below Minimum Level of Dietary Energy Consumption (FAO)

Goal 2. Achieve universal primary education

Target 3: Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling

6. Net Enrolment Ratio in Primary Education (UNESCO)
7. Proportion of Pupils Starting Grade 1 who Reach Grade 5 (UNESCO)
8. Literacy Rate of 15-24 year-olds (UNESCO)

Goal 3. Promote gender equality and empower women

Target 4: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015

9. Ratio of Girls to Boys in Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Education (UNESCO)
10. Ratio of Literate Women to Men 15-24 years old (UNESCO)
11. Share of Women in Wage Employment in the Non-Agricultural Sector (ILO)
12. Proportion of Seats Held by Women in National Parliaments (IPU)

Goal 4. Reduce child mortality

Target 5: Reduce by two thirds the mortality rate among children under five

13. Under-Five Mortality Rate (UNICEF)
14. Infant Mortality Rate (UNICEF)
15. Proportion of 1 year-old Children Immunised Against Measles (UNICEF)

5. Improve maternal health

Target 6: Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio

16. Maternal Mortality Ratio (WHO)
17. Proportion of Births Attended by Skilled Health Personnel (UNICEF)

Goal 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Target 7: Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS

18. HIV Prevalence Among 15-24 year-old Pregnant Women (UNAIDS)
19. Condom use rate of the contraceptive prevalence rate and Population aged 15-24 years with comprehensive correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS(UNAIDS, UNICEF, UN Population Division, WHO)
20. Ratio of school attendance of orphans to school attendance of non-orphans aged 10-14 years

Target 8: Halt and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases

21. Prevalence and Death Rates Associated with Malaria (WHO):
22. Proportion of Population in Malaria Risk Areas Using Effective Malaria Prevention and Treatment Measures (UNICEF):
23. Prevalence and Death Rates Associated with Tuberculosis (WHO):
24. Proportion of Tuberculosis Cases Detected and Cured Under Directly-Observed Treatment Short Courses (WHO)

Goal 7. Ensure environmental sustainability

Target 9: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources

25. Forested land as percentage of land area (FAO)
26. Ratio of Area Protected to Maintain Biological Diversity to Surface Area (UNEP)
27. Energy supply (apparent consumption; Kg oil equivalent) per $1,000 (PPP) GDP (World Bank)
28. Carbon Dioxide Emissions (per capita) and Consumption of Ozone-Depleting CFCs (ODP tons)

Target 10: Reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water

30. Proportion of the Population with Sustainable Access to and Improved Water Source (WHO/UNICEF)
31. Proportion of the Population with Access to Improved Sanitation (WHO/UNICEF)

Target 11: Achieve significant improvement in lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers, by 2020

32. Slum population as percentage of urban population (secure tenure index) (UN-Habitat)

Goal 8. Develop a global partnership for development

Target 12. Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system Includes a commitment to good governance, development, and poverty reduction — both nationally and internationally

Target 13. Address the special needs of the least developed countries Includes: tariff and quota free access for least developed countries’ exports; enhanced programme of debt relief for HIPCs and cancellation of official bilateral debt; and more generous ODA for countries committed to poverty reduction Official development assistance

32. Net ODA as percentage of OECD/DAC donors’ gross national product (targets of 0.7% in total and 0.15% for LDCs)
33. Proportion of ODA to basic social services (basic education, primary health care, nutrition, safe water and sanitation)
34. Proportion of ODA that is untied
35. Proportion of ODA for environment in small island developing States
36. Proportion of ODA for transport sector in landlocked countries Market access
37. Proportion of exports (by value and excluding arms) admitted free of duties and quotas
38. Average tariffs and quotas on agricultural products and textiles and clothing
39. Domestic and export agricultural subsidies in OECD countries
40. Proportion of ODA provided to help build tradecapacity Debt sustainability
41. Proportion of official bilateral HIPC debt cancelled
42. Total Number of Countries that Have Reached their HIPC Decision Points and Number that Have Reached their Completion Points (Cumulative) (HIPC) (World Bank-IMF)
43. Debt Service as a Percentage of Exports of Goods and Services (World Bank)
44. Debt Relief Committed Under HIPC Initiative (HIPC) (World Bank-IMF)

Target 14. Address the special needs of landlocked countries and small island developing States

Target 15. Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term. (see indicators 41 to 46 above)

Target 16: In cooperation with developing countries, develop and implement strategies for decent and productive work for youth.

45. Unemployment of 15-24 year-olds, Each Sex and Total (ILO)

Target 17: In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries

46. Proportion of Population with Access to Affordable, Essential Drugs on a Sustainable Basis (WHO)

Target 18: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications

47. Telephone Lines and Cellular Subscribers per 100 Population (ITU)
48. Personal Computers in Use and Internet Users per 100 Population (ITU)

Praying and Preaching on the MDGs

There are abundant resources available for praying and preaching on the Millennium Development Goals.

Weekly Prayer Reflections from Micah Challenge

Each week the Micah Challenge campaign sends out a prayer reflection, containing a short reflection, prayer points for the week, and a statistic relating to the MDGs with suggestions for meditation. You can sign up to receive this on the Micah website.

Prayers about the MDGs

There is a specific MDG prayer, which can be found on the School Sisters of Notre Dame's very helpful page on the MDGs and the order's response to them.

The Episcopal Public Policy Network also has a fine bidding prayer touching on each of the goals. You might also like to take a look a litany of penance based around the MDGs.

Complete Liturgies around the MDGs

There is a fine prayer service from the Sisters of Mercy.
CAFOD has a school assembly on the MDGs, including a dramatic reading (for multiple readers), prayers and a reflection. While the assembly is designed for children at Key Stage 4, it could be used in many different church contexts.
The Episcopal Public Policy network has a shortened form of evening prayer for Advent with prayers for the end of global poverty.
If you're looking for something to do with a youth group, you might want to look at Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation's U2charist , which combines liturgy, U2 lyrics and the MDGs. . . .

Sermons and Sermon Aids around the MDGs

If you're preparing a sermon and would like some background, there are many resources.

On the web, have a look at Micah Challenge UK's introduction to praying on the MDGs, which offers Biblical bases for action on the goals. Micah also has a resource page that could help inspire a sermon . . . or, if your church uses multimedia presentations, offers powerpoints and video clips to use. In print, Sabina Alkire and Ed Newell's "What Can One Person Do?" [Darton Longman, Todd, 2005] is a treasure trove of information, reflection and prayers.

Activities for Sunday School or Children's Groups

World Vision Australia has produced a wonderful guide with activities for each of the MDGs.

Do you have a prayer or a sermon on this topic you would like to share? Please email it to us at maranda@ccow.org.uk.

Campaigns around the MDGs

Because 189 governments have signed on to the MDGs, they offer a strong platform for work on development. Recognising this, a number of international campaigns are monitoring where we are in accomplishing them -- and are working to hold the world's governments accountable for progress made, or not made. The three largest campaigns are the Global Call to Action against Poverty, Micah Challenge, and the UN Millennium Campaign.

Global Call to Action against Poverty

The Global Call to Action against Poverty or the "White Band" campaign brings together more than 100 national campaigning "platforms" -- coalitions of campaigning groups, churches, faith groups, unions and others -- around a set of core demands

In the UK, this campaign is probably best known by the name of the 2005 coalition which was its platform in the UK -- Make Poverty History. Today many of the same agencies that were part of Make Poverty History continue to participate in GCAP campaigning through a broad coalition coordinated by BOND (British Overseas NGOs for Development). The main GCAP event each year is "Stand Up Against Poverty," which takes place in October, though there are also other events, such as 2007's "Your Voice Against Poverty," at which the images above were taken.

Micah Challenge

Micah Challenge UK is part of Micah Challenge International, a Christian campaign located in over 30 countries, from Australia to Zambia. Micah UK, in parallel with its other national counterparts, has two main objectives:

To galvanise Christians in the UK towards greater practical and political engagement with the issues and injustice of poverty.
To unite Christians to ensure the UK honours its commitments to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Micah UK's main means of campaigning is through "Take Five." Micah offers a briefing pack on the Millennium Development Goals and a range of Christian reflections on the need to act against poverty. Micah International sends a weekly email giving a fact about poverty for reflection, one or two prayer suggestions, and a brief reflection. Many find this a very helpful resource; you can sign up by sending a blank email to regine.nagel@micahchallenge.org with the words 'subscribe prayer' in the subject line.

UN Millennium Campaign

The Millennium Campaign is a UN initiative to gather support worldwide for the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals. The Campaign helps to build up campaigns in individual countries as well as linking UN-related MDG campaigns around the world and liaising with other campaigns such as GCAP and Micah. The Campaign was the initiator of last year's Stand Up Against Poverty action in which over 23.5 million people around the globe took part; you can see the results at the Stand Up Against Poverty website.

Resources on the Millennium Development Goals

Basic Introductions to the MDGs

Briefing pack on the Millennium Development Goals (Micah UK, 2007)

Worship resources on the MDGs

Weekly reflections from the Micah campaign
Millennium prayer (Center of Concern)
Prayer service (Sisters of Mercy)
Evening prayer for Advent with prayers for the end of global poverty (Episcopal Public Policy Network)

Assessing progress on the MDGs

Indicators for Monitoring the MDGs -- Definitions, rationale, concepts and sources (UNDP)
Progress Reports (UNSTATS, 2005, 2006)
Reports of the Secretary General (UN)

More coming soon!

What Can My Church Do?

Supporting the MDGs can be part of the Church's broader response to the challenges of global poverty. Here are some suggestions for how your church might get involved:

Pray. Bringing our concerns about global poverty before God is an essential part of our Christian response.
- Micah Challenge sends out a weekly prayer email, which offers a statistic related to the MDGs as a particular point for prayer and reflection. Why not use that as a part of your weekly prayers in church? Or, if you already use another agency's prayer diary, try to link the specific projects or people that you are asked to pray for to action on the MDGs.
- A special service can be a good way of really highlighting global poverty, our response to it generally, and the need to pray and campaign for implementation of the MDGs. Micah Challenge has special Sundays (the last was on 20 May) with liturgical materials prepared for them -- you can use these at other times, too! This October 17, too, there will be another chance to "stand up against poverty" -- could you perhaps schedule a service on that day (a Wednesday) or on the following Sunday? Or check out the "U2charist" and other suggestions in our "praying and preaching" website.

Study and Reflect together. There are many fine Lent courses, Bible studies and books that deal with the Christian response to global poverty, some of which include material about the Millennium Development Goals. Why not try one with your house group? Some suggestions include:
- Act Justly, from Christian Aid
- reflections from the worship material for Live Simply
- "What does the Bible say about poverty" from Methodist Relief and Development Fund
- the Micah Challenge reflections or the "Half-Time" reflections originally written to cover the seven weeks from Pentecost 2007 to 07/07/07.
- Edward Newell and Sabina Alkire's What Can One Person Do? (which focuses precisely on the Christian response to poverty through the MDGs)
- Graham Gordon's "What If You Got Involved? Taking a Stand against Social Injustice"
- Steve de Gruchy "Introducing the United Nations Millennium Declaration"

Campaign alongside other Christians worldwide by joining the Micah Challenge and supporting GCAP and the UN Millennium Campaign.
- To see how your church can join the Micah Challenge, go to Micah UK's "how to join" page.
- To see what the UK GCAP coalition is doing and to get involved, go to the page for "Your Voice Against Poverty"
- To see the latest news on the UN Millennium Campaign and 2007's "Stand Up and Speak Out!" go to the webpage for the Millennium Campaign.

Adopt a goal, and make research, prayer and action on it part of your church's mission.
- One city church went through the goals and felt particularly called to respond to #2 -- universal primary education. They decided to donate to a church agency that helps buy school uniforms and supplies for girls. It's a practical contribution to making the goals happen. The combination of prayer, research, advocacy and practical action is a powerful one!

Raise awareness in imaginative ways! Fran Chandler, the Anglican World Development Adviser for Kensington, has done prayer stations and flower festival displays on MDG-related themes. . . . a great way to reach people who might not otherwise become involved. The Diocese of Leicester is planning a special performance of the Poverty Requiem on 17 October. What could you do?

Where can I find more information about the MDGs?

Information about the MDGs as a Whole

The two best places to start for basic background are the UN Millennium Development Goals website and The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) MDGs section.

The former contains a list of the Goals; the Millennium Declaration and background to the Goals; the annual Development Goals report, which indicates the level of progress towards the targets; links to the indicator database and more. The beautifully organised and arranged UNDP site offers basic information and resources, news and speeches, details of advocacy and strategies for meeting the MDGs, help tracking progress (links to general indicators, country reports etc), links to country offices and regional resources.

Church Responses to the MDGs

The Anglican Communion held a conference -- Towards Effective Anglican Mission [TEAM] -- in March 2007 to consider how Anglicans should respond to the MDGs and the crisis posed by HIV/AIDS, especially in Africa. The TEAM website and the Episcopal News Service website contain links to theological reflections on the MDGs and the Church's response by South African theologian Steve de Gruchy and the Archbishop of Canterbury, myriad discussions of projects in which churches are already engaging, and a fascinating talk and response in which Salil Shetty, director of the UN Millennium Campaign, introduced the Goals and the campaign, and Hellen Wangusa, Anglican Observer at the United Nations critiqued the MDGs as a framework for church work in development.

Southern Responses to the MDGs

Choike, the portal for Southern civil society, gives both the UN background to the formulation of the goals and a wide range of Southern responses -- some positive, some critical, many suggesting a widening of the terms of discussion. The website also has considerable material on gender and the MDGs and health and the MDGs.

Campaigning Perspectives on the MDGs

The three large campaigns -- Global Call to Action against Poverty , Micah Challenge , and the UN Millennium Campaign -- all offer campaigning perspectives on the MDGs and their relations to the goal of economic justice.