Millennium development goals
In September 2000 the leaders from 190 countries signed the United Nations Millennium Declaration in which the international community undertook to reach 8 development objectives with the intention of reducing poverty and improving life for the world’s population. One of these objectives, Millennium Development Goal #4 (MDG4), aims to reduce by 2/3 the mortality in children under 5 years of age in the period from 1990 to 2015. Most of the effort to reach this goal is concentrated in developing countries, in which 98/99% of deaths in this age group are concentrated.
In its report on the Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations affirms that four infectious diseases – pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria and AIDS – accounted for 43% of all deaths under five years of age worldwide in 2008. The need to concentrate attention on pneumonia and diarrhea, two of the first three child-killers, is especially urgent.
The Fondazione Achille Sclavo can make an important contribution to reaching MDG4, reducing childhood mortality, and to MDG8, developing a global partnership for development, thereby helping to reach MDG1 as well, eradicating extreme poverty and hunger in the world.
Eight Development Goals:
- eradicating extreme poverty and hunger
- achieving universal primary education
- promoting gender equality and empowering women
- reducing child mortality rates
- improving maternal health
- combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
- ensuring environmental sustainability
- developing a global partnership for development