The big picture: promises to keep

The Millennium Declaration is a commitment to development, peace and human rights.

© UNICEF/HQ00-0770/DeCesare

Young people are critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

In 2000, nearly 200 leaders from around the world adopted the Declaration and committed themselves to achieving a set of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The MDGs outline a comprehensive and ambitious plan to end extreme poverty and hunger, ensure that all boys and girls complete primary school, promote gender equality, improve the health of children and mothers, reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases, and protect the environment. The ultimate objective of this agreement is to make the world a better place for all by the year 2015.

This section of Voices of Youth contains everything you need to know about the global fight to end poverty by 2015.  Because young people are central to each of the MDGs, you should be aware of what is going on.  So start learning about the promises and progress your government has made, start spreading the word to everyone you know, and start contributing to the fight to erase poverty!