The MDGs include a set of numerical and time-bound targets that encapsulate the basic aspirations for a better world. Achieving the MDGs within the lifespan of this generation would mean that between 1990 and 2015 we halve income poverty and hunger; guarantee primary education for all girls and boys; reduce by two third a child’s risk of dying before age five; reduce by three quarters a woman’s risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes; stop and reverse the spread of HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis; protect the ecosystem and biodiversity; and ensure that developed countries grant more aid, fairer trade and steeper debt relief.
And as an expression of the commitment of Arab states to human development as a fundamental objective, they have signed the Millennium Declaration with the set of 8 goals and 18 targets.
In this context, the United Nations Development Programme has prepared the Report on “The Millennium Development Goals in Arab Countries – Towards 2015: Achievements and Aspirations”.
It is the first regional status report on progress in the Arab States towards the Millennium Development Goals. It gives an overview of advancements in the region as well as what challenges remain for reaching the targets by 2015.
The report shows that, over the last few decades, the Arab countries have made significant progress in human development. Life expectancy has risen, child and maternal mortality rates have declined and illiteracy has fallen for both men and women. More people enjoy access to safe water and sanitation.
However, the report also shows that progress began to falter in the 1990s. The proportion of children in primary school stalled at around 80 per cent, while the ratio of girls to boys in primary and secondary schools inched upward only slowly. Maternal mortality remained high at 500 per 100,000 live births, while the proportion of undernourished people did not see any significant decline.
Overall, the performance in the region vis-à-vis the goals can be categorized in three group of about equal size: one third are on track for reaching the targets by 2015, one third are off track or regressing, and one third have no relevant data.
The report shows that progress has been uneven across countries and that each country faces a specific set of challenges. Several countries face important challenges for meeting the targets by 2015. About 10 million children still do not go to school, and even though women’s access to education has tripled since 1970, gender disparities persist. Forty per cent of adults are unable to read, while over half of women remain illiterate. Women claim less than five per cent of the seats in Arab legislatures. Many countries face the prospects of growing water shortages in the future.
Looking towards 2015, the report stresses that the Arab states and their international partners will have to exert additional efforts if the targets are to be achieved. Progress will have to accelerate and commitments will need to be renewed if the promises that were made at the Millennium Summit are to be kept.