The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are a set of measurable development targets agreed by the international community. Their main aim is to halve global poverty and improve the welfare of the world’s poorest by 2015.
If current trends continue, most human development MDGs are unlikely to be met at the global level by 2015. While some countries have made impressive gains in reaching the health-related targets, others are lagging behind. The countries that are making the least progress are often those affected by high levels of HIV/AIDS, economic hardship and / or conflict.
Women’s empowerment, gender equality and improving maternal and child health are central ingredients for achieving better results in human development. In particular MDG 3 (women’s empowerment and gender equality), MDG 4 (child health), MDG 5 (maternal health and universal access to reproductive health) and MDG 6 (HIV and other diseases) are interlinked and mutually reinforce each other.
Overview of progress towards the health-related Millennium Development Goals - World Health Organisation
