Millennium Development Goals, MDG, Eastern Asia

We live in an increasingly populated world in which poverty and environmental un-sustainability are the main threats. Population is growing in an exponential way, mainly in regions with lack of economic and institutional capacity that assures humans’ development. Even GDP have being multiplied by 8 since 1950, 15% of the total populations are in extreme poverty conditions, that is the same with precarious possibilities to have control of their own life. Both situations in absence of sustainable living models have created environmental problems (such as climate change) with unforeseen consequences.

If we consider development as the extensions of humans capabilities, the world’s main challenges regards to a well-management of population growth, the exercise of economic policies that by promoting growth could achieve the poverty reduction, and the integral management of environment.

Is in this contexts that the Millennium development goals were created. In the year 2002, in New York, the countries member to the United Nations committed with the achievement of eight goals, with the purpose to mitigate or eliminate certain expressions of poverty.

United Nations Development Program

In my opinion, the MDG should be understood as a development progressive program, that aims deep transformations on society. Removing the basic un-freedoms that millions o people faced is the main goal of these goals.

This development program also considers (and in my opinion, tried to potential zed) the interconnected structure of the world in which we live. So, the efforts done by a nation (and it results) not only have implications in a global scale, but also are interconnected with the performance in other countries.

In general, Eastern Asia Region could illustrate what I am saying.

Eastern Asia is region that has had an impressive performance. Their economic policies are an example of how it’s possible to promote a sustained and robust economic growth and at the same time improve everyone’s quality of life.

Extreme poverty has being reduced around 73% in the last 15 years, mainly in China where the poverty rate is expected to fall to under 5 per cent by 2015. In terms of fight against hunger, the Region is likely to meet the target, due to China’s progress. The have reduce from 15% in 1990 to 6% in 2009 the proportion of children under age five who are underweight. Globally, the achievement of this goal could possible thanks to Eastern Asia efforts.

MDG Report 2011, UNPD

In terms of giving universal access to primary education, the region just improve in 1 percentage point, but it has one the highest rates of the world, similar to the developed countries.

MDG Report 2011, UNDP

Regarding to women’s empowerment, her enrolment in educations (primary, secondary and tertiary) in relation to boy’s enrolment overachieved the 100%. The share of women in non-agricultural paid employment increased from 38% to 43%, some of the most important advances comparing to other regions. At the same tine, almost 20% of Eastern Asia women’s are representatives in the country’s Parliament. This shows an important improvement in women’s capabilities.

China makes a great difference concerning to goal 4. Children from rural households are more risky of dying in spite of mortality rate is low. In fact, they are almost three times more likely to die before the age of five than children from the richest households. This situation is analysed when China is being not considered.

MDG Report 2011, UNDP

Even, there is a significant progress in pregnancy health in Eastern Asia countries, the mortality ratio decreased 62% and health care during pregnancy improve 19pp, the worldwide MDG 5 target is still far off.

The HIV/AIDS incidence rate was “unmoved” in the Region. Nevertheless, the worldwide rate declined by nearly 25%, as well as the number of people that lives with the virus, since they are receiving an antiretroviral treatment.

Nonetheless the Region has a huge environmental challenge. The whole Asia continent is by far the largest contributor to the global increase in greenhouse gas emissions in recent decades, in which China is one of the main contributors. Pollution, deforestation a biodiversity protection are main concerns.

MDG Report 2011, UNDP

There are some progress and important achievements. China developed a large –scale afforestation programs, and it is well-known forests play an important role in the global carbon cycle. The 2008 emissions were 38% above the 1990 level, and the gap in CO2 emissions per capita between developed and developing regions has diminished since 1990 (12,3 metric tons were emitted per person per year in developed regions, compared to about 1.7 metric tons in the developing regions).

In conclusion, the millennium development goals are in track. Some are more achievable than others ones. The notable improvements in Eastern Asian countries foster the worldwide goals achievement. This is especially important considering the globalist world in where we live.

References.

UNDP: “Millennium development goals”. UNDP. New York. 2011

UNDP: “2011 Human Development Report: Inequalities and environmental challenges threaten progress in Asia, Pacific”. UNDP. New York. 2011

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