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Why is the Summit being convened?

UNITED NATIONS MDG SUMMIT
High-Level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly
20-22 September 2010, New York

“Ten years on from the original adoption of the MDGs at the 2000 Millennium Summit, and despite remarkable progress in some countries, collectively we are falling short in their achievement.”

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) incorporate key goals and targets of the broader development agenda, agreed upon by world leaders and other stakeholders at different UN Summits and Conferences. Thus, the MDGs are not about extreme poverty only, but also include goals and targets for education, maternal health, child mortality, public health, environmental sustainability and biodiversity. By linking the MDGs to the Internationally Agreed Development Agenda (IADA), world leaders and development partners have recognised the synergies among various development goals and targets, and the need for an integrated approach for achieving them.

Ten years on from the original adoption of the MDGs at the 2000 Millennium Summit, and despite remarkable progress in some countries, collectively we are falling short in their achievement. The consequence of these shortfalls, further aggravated by the combined effects of the global food, climate, energy and economic crises, is that improvements in the lives of the poorest are happening at an unacceptably slow pace and in some countries, hard fought gains are being eroded. At the current pace, several of the eight MDGs and associated targets are likely to be missed in many countries. The challenges are most severe in the least developed countries (LDCs), land-locked developing countries (LLDCs) and some small island developing states (SIDS).

If the MDGs are to be achieved by 2015, not only must the level of financial investment be increased but innovative programs and policies aimed at overall development and economic and social transformation must be rapidly scaled up and replicated. The MDGs are achievable, but there is clearly an urgency to address challenges, acknowledge failures and come together to overcome the obstacles to their achievement. This will require the embrace of pioneering ideas and political will on the part of governments and their development partners.

HOW CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE?
In addition to engaging your government at the national and local levels, there will be a number of ways to input at the international level. The simple fact is that 189 world leaders made an historic promise at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000 when they signed onto the Millennium Declaration and agreed to meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. It’s up to citizens to make sure leaders follow through on these commitments.

One way to get involved – either individually or through your organisation is through the “United Nations Millennium Campaign”. The Millennium Campaign supports people from around the world to take action in support of the Millennium Development Goals. Get involved today!

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UN Summit 2010