Sustainability | Analysing MDGs progress in South East Asia

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have their origins in the year 2000 when 189 United Nations member states made a promise to free people from extreme poverty and multiple deprivations such as freedom and equality. This commitment became the so called eight Millennium Development Goals to be achieved by the year 2015. In September 2010, the world recommitted itself to accelerate progress towards these goals. The abovementioned goals are the following:

More information about the Millenium Declaration: http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.pdf

We are now going to focus on measuring the progress of the region of South East Asia towards the Millenium Goals of 2015. Remember that this area comprises Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines, Christmas Island and Singapore.

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Target : Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day

Trends observed in South-Eastern Asia, suggest that they are likely to meet the hunger-reduction target by 2015. However, wide disparities are found among countries in these regions. Levels in South-Eastern Asia benefit from advances made in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Target: achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people.

In the case of the vulnerable employment rate (referring to informal working arrangements, lack of adequate social protection, low pay and difficult working conditions) remains stable comparing the years 2008 and 2009 but progress in the reduction of this type of work is still a challenge because more than half of the population is low paid family worker with insuffcient social protection.

In relation to the Proportion of children under age five who are underweight,between 1990 and 2009. A number of simple, cost-effective measures delivered at key stages of the life cycle, particularly from conception to two years after birth, could greatly reduce undernutrition. These measures include some like improved maternal nutrition and care, breastfeeding within one hour of birth. In the Southeastern region this rates dropped almost by half, this means that measures are effectively making progress and going on the right direction.

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education.

Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

Referring to adjusted net enrolment ratio in primary education,* 1998/1999 and 2008/2009, Southeastern Asia shows small increasement, but one has to see it in perspective because South Eastern Asia already had one of the highest percentages. Since they are approaching the ratio of the developed countries, there is little space for improvement left. This doesn´t mean however, that each country shouldn´t always strive for the maximum goal (100%).

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women.

In order to eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015.

South-Eastern Asia has achieved gender parity in primary education. In secondary and tertiary education the ratio of girls´ school enrollment is higher than the number of boys, surpassing the enrollment of boys.

In relation to empowerment of women, despite growing numbers of women parliamentarians, the target of equal participation of women and men in politics is still far off. South-Eastern Asia showed no progress in this sense. Insufficient quota arrangements and measures taken by political parties may be a cause.

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality.

Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under- five mortality rate.

Regarding children living in rural areas at a higher risk of dying under the age of five. Despite substantial progress in reducing child deaths, children from rural households are still at a disadvantage position in South-Eastern Asia, (as we can see in the image).This can be due to difficult access to medical supply, hospitals and doctors.

Goal 5: Improve maternal health.

Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio.

Regarding to maternal health one can see that South Eastern Asia is on the right track. In the last moment of measuring they scored a 160 deaths per 100.000 births. In 2015 this should be reduced to 90 deaths per 100.000 birts, a 25% of the original 360 deaths. This goal is achievable, but it remains a challenge.

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

Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS

When we take a look at the HIV incidense rates we see that incidense rate in South Eastern Asia stabilized at an 0.04 person per 100 persons. This is 1 person out of 2500 and lower than the average of the world, but still higher than the average of the developed regions. On the long term I expect though that the incidense rates can decrease even further, when young people get better informed, merely thanks to the internet and social media.

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources

Over the last two decades we can see that the emission of carbon dioxide in the developed regions decreased, so that is a plus. On the contrary though, developing regions have been emitting more than twice as much carbon dioxide as they did in 1990. This is a worrying development, however one could have expected it. Looking at South East Asia we can see that the emission of carbon dioxide even tripled, because of the rapid economic development and the industrialization of the countries of this area. The focus should be on these developing countries. A sustainable model for economic growth should be designed for the government of those countries, so they can still continue growing, but in a more sustainable way.

Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

Taking in to account the following target: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications are offering alternative communications opportunities.

Internet means access to communication, to freedom and development.According to the graph attached the number of Internet users continues to expand worldwide. There is no specific data in the UN report about the region of South East Asia, however, as we can see penetration levels in the developing world remain very low, at 21 per cent by end-2010,compared to 72 per cent in the developed regions. Globally, two out of three people are not using the Internet. And in LDCs, Internet penetration was as low as 3 per cent by end-2010.

Comments Off on Sustainability | Analysing MDGs progress in South East Asia / 19 Jan 2012 por Tatiana Casquero Rodriguez
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