Africa's Millenium Development Goals

Tracking progress in MDGs 4 & 5 - maternal, newborn & child survival

ifeoluwa — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:33:43 +0000

One very important goal to African Countries in the MDGs is the goal’s 4 and 5, i.e. to Reduce Child Mortality and to Improve Maternal Health respectively.

One organisation concerned very much with the attainment of these goals is the World Health Organisation. In view of their efforts, a new report has just been launched on Tracking progress in maternal, newborn & child survival.

According to WHO,

“Tracking progress in maternal, newborn and child survival: Countdown to 2015 - The 2008 Report” was launched at the second Countdown to 2015 Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa, 17-19 April 2008, in conjunction with the 118th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly.

Quoting the WHO:

A collaboration among individuals and institutions established in 2005, the Countdown aims to stimulate country action by tracking coverage for interventions needed to attain Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 – and, in addition, parts of MDGs 1, 6 and 7. Through this unified effort national and international policy makers, programme implementers, development and media partners and researchers are working together to:

Summarize, synthesize and disseminate the best and most recent information on country-level progress towards high, sustained and equitable coverage with health interventions to save women and children.

Take stock of progress in maternal, newborn and child survival.

Call on governments, development partners and the broader community to be accountable if rates of progress are not satisfactory.

Identify knowledge gaps that are hindering progress.

Propose new actions to achieve the health-related MDGs, in particular MDGs 4 and 5.

The second in a series of reports, Countdown 2008 is based primarily on data drawn from national surveys and global databases. It measures coverage of basic health services proven to reduce maternal and child mortality. It also assesses the strength of health systems, the status of policies related to maternal, newborn and child health and how equitably health services are distributed.

I hope to go through the Report and bring out some important points and to see how Africa is fairing as regards to attaining these goals.

For a view of this report it can be found here

And for my post on the MDG targets and indicators, find them here - http://mdgsafrica.bundublog.com/2008/02/24/millenium-development-goals-targets-and-indicators/

Comments are welcomed.

(Sponsor Link: OfferForge | kalahari.net | bidorbuy )

The World Bank approves the Fourth Grant for Poverty Reduction Program in Rwanda

ifeoluwa — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:35:33 +0000

Reports from the WorldBank indicates that the World Bank Board of Directors on Thursday Feb. 28 approved an International Development Association (IDA) grant for US$70 million to assist the Government of Rwanda with the implementation of key policy actions as outlined in its Economic and Development Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS). This is the Fourth in a series of Rwanda’s 2002 Poverty Reduction Strategy Operation.

The Fourth Poverty Reduction Support Grant (PRSG IV) aims at supporting measures to ease the infrastructure constraints to growth and build the human capital and skills base required to transform the economy to be export based and service oriented.

It will support the Government of Rwanda’s increased focus on growth as outlined in the EDPRS, while consolidating the progress made in the social sectors under the first PRSP.

“We will also continue to use the PRSG series of operations as a means to strengthen collaboration with other donors, working closely with Government, to ensure there is increased coordination of aid to improve its efficient use,” said Kene Ezeminari, World Bank Senior Economist and Country Economist for Rwanda.

PRSG IV resources will also be used to support ongoing reforms to increase the results orientation of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), at both the national and district levels while integrating it more strongly in the budget process. Overall, the operation will emphasize support for reforms that will promote increased spending efficiency, with the aim of laying the foundation for increased absorption of higher aid inflows to support growth.

“The operation will continue to support Government’s strong political commitment to reforms that promote growth, poverty reduction and improved capacity in planning, public financial management and procurement, ” Kene Ezeminari said.

The grant will build on the successes of Rwanda’s previous Poverty Support Grants (PRSG I, II &III). Within this context PRSG IV is expected to continue offering support to decentralized service delivery, particularly in education, health, and water, and will put an increased emphasis on improving access to infrastructure services (i.e. in the transport and energy sectors, as well as in the agriculture sector). It will support the development of a Common Performance Assessment Framework (CPAF) for monitoring the EDPRS that will also help to reduce the transaction costs to Government related to their reporting on the use of aid funds, to donors.

(Sponsor Link: OfferForge | kalahari.net | bidorbuy )

France President Pledges 2.5 billion Euros for Jobs in Africa

ifeoluwa — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:13:42 +0000

Just got this from EndPoverty, its a good thing for Africa that France is committing about 3.8million dollar to Africa to help get rid of poverty through job creation.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced a 2.5 billion euro (3.8 billion dollar) initiative on Thursday 28/02/08 to finance nearly 2,000 companies and create 300,000 jobs in Africa over the next five years.

“I want France to contribute directly to the creation of African companies that will generate jobs,” he told a joint sitting of the South African parliament on the first leg of a two-day state visit.

“Overall, this initiative will mobilise two-and-a-half billion euros over the five-year period, which will be used to directly or indirectly finance nearly 2,000 companies and create 300,000 jobs.”

The initiative, to be executed by the French Development Agency, would see the creation of a 250-million-euro investment fund that would acquire holdings in other funds, and a 250-million-euro guarantee fund to help small enterprises access bank credit and capital.

The third phase would comprise a two-billion-euro commitment to “support the private sector,” he said.

“When this initiative is included, the total French bilateral financial commitment to sub-Saharan Africa will thus amount to 10 billion euros over the coming five-year period.”

Sarkozy said France should contribute more to the African fight against poverty, adding the country would “maintain its financial commitments” to the continent’s achievement of the Millennium Development Goals which is eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by 2015.

Lets pray the French Government keep to their promise and we expect more commitment from the “rich countries” to help Africa.

(Sponsor Link: OfferForge | kalahari.net | bidorbuy )

Millenium Development Goals, Targets and Indicators

ifeoluwa — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:29:11 +0000

The MDGs are an eight-point road map with measurable targets and clear deadlines for improving the lives of the world’s poorest people. World leaders have agreed to achieve the MDGs by 2015.

The Millenium Development Goals, Targets and Indicators as obtained from United Nations Millenium Project are:

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty

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

Indicators
1. Proportion of population below $1 (1993 PPP) per day (World Bank) a*
2. Poverty gap ratio [incidence x depth of poverty] (World Bank)
3. Share of poorest quintile in national consumption (World Bank)

Target 2. Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger

Indicators
4. Prevalence of underweight children under five years of age (UNICEF-WHO)
5. Proportion of population below minimum level of dietary energy consumption (FAO)

Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

Target 3. Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

Indicators
6. Net enrolment ratio in primary education (UNESCO)
7. Proportion of pupils starting grade 1 who reach grade 5 (UNESCO) b*
8. Literacy rate of 15-24 year-olds (UNESCO)

Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Target 4. Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015

Indicators
9. Ratio of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education (UNESCO)
10. Ratio of literate women to men, 15-24 years old (UNESCO)
11. Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector (ILO)
12. Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament (IPU)

Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

Target 5. Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate

Indicators
13. Under-five mortality rate (UNICEF-WHO)
14. Infant mortality rate (UNICEF-WHO)
15. Proportion of 1 year-old children immunized against measles (UNICEF-WHO)

Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

Target 6. Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio

Indicators
16. Maternal mortality ratio (UNICEF-WHO)
17. Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel (UNICEF-WHO)

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

Target 7. Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS

Indicators
18. HIV prevalence among pregnant women aged 15-24 years (UNAIDS-WHO-UNICEF)
19. Condom use rate of the contraceptive prevalence rate (UN Population Division) c*
19a. Condom use at last high-risk sex (UNICEF-WHO)
19b. Percentage of population aged 15-24 years with comprehensive correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS (UNICEF-WHO) d*
19c. Contraceptive prevalence rate (UN Population Division)
20. Ratio of school attendance of orphans to school attendance of non-orphans aged 10-14 years (UNICEF-UNAIDS-WHO)

Target 8. Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases

Indicators
21. Prevalence and death rates associated with malaria (WHO)
22. Proportion of population in malaria-risk areas using effective malaria prevention and treatment measures (UNICEF-WHO) e*
23. Prevalence and death rates associated with tuberculosis (WHO)
24. Proportion of tuberculosis cases detected and cured under DOTS (internationally recommended TB control strategy) (WHO)

Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Target 9. Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs and reverse the loss of environmental resources

Indicators
25. Proportion of land area covered by forest (FAO)
26. Ratio of area protected to maintain biological diversity to surface area (UNEP-WCMC)
27. Energy use (kg oil equivalent) per $1 GDP (PPP) (IEA, World Bank)
28. Carbon dioxide emissions per capita (UNFCCC, UNSD) and consumption of ozone-depleting CFCs (ODP tons) (UNEP-Ozone Secretariat)
29. Proportion of population using solid fuels (WHO)

Target 10. Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation

Indicators
30. Proportion of population with sustainable access to an improved water source, urban and rural (UNICEF-WHO)
31. Proportion of population with access to improved sanitation, urban and rural (UNICEF-WHO)

Target 11. Have achieved by 2020 a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers

Indicators
32. Proportion of households with access to secure tenure (UN-HABITAT)

Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

Target 12. Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, nondiscriminatory trading and financial system (includes a commitment to good governance, development, and poverty reduction?both nationally and internationally)

Target 13. Address the special needs of the Least Developed Countries (includes tariff- and quota-free access for Least Developed Countries? exports, enhanced program of debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries [HIPCs] and cancellation of official bilateral debt, and more generous official development assistance for countries committed to poverty reduction)

Target 14. Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries and small island developing states (through the Program of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and 22nd General Assembly provisions)

Target 15. Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term

Indicators
Official development assistance (ODA)
33. Net ODA, total and to LDCs, as percentage of OECD/Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donors’ gross national income (GNI)(OECD)
34. Proportion of total bilateral, sector-allocable ODA of OECD/DAC donors to basic social services (basic education, primary health care, nutrition, safe water and sanitation) (OECD)
35. Proportion of bilateral ODA of OECD/DAC donors that is untied (OECD)
36. ODA received in landlocked developing countries as a proportion of their GNIs (OECD)
37. ODA received in small island developing States as proportion of their GNIs (OECD)Market access
38. Proportion of total developed country imports (by value and excluding arms) from developing countries and from LDCs, admitted free of duty (UNCTAD, WTO, WB)
39. Average tariffs imposed by developed countries on agricultural products and textiles and clothing from developing countries (UNCTAD, WTO, WB)
40. Agricultural support estimate for OECD countries as percentage of their GDP (OECD)
41. Proportion of ODA provided to help build trade capacity (OECD, WTO)
Debt sustainability
42. Total number of countries that have reached their Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) decision points and number that have reached their HIPC completion points (cumulative) (IMF - World Bank)
43. Debt relief committed under HIPC initiative (IMF-World Bank)
44. Debt service as a percentage of exports of goods and services (IMF-World Bank)

Some of the indicators listed below are monitored separately for the least developed countries, Africa, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing states

Target 16. In cooperation with developing countries, develop and implement strategies for decent and productive work for youth

Indicators
45. Unemployment rate of young people aged 15-24 years, each sex and total (ILO) f*

Target 17. In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries

Indicators
46. Proportion of population with access to affordable essential drugs on a sustainable basis (WHO)

Target 18. In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications technologie

Indicators
47. Telephone lines and cellular subscribers per 100 population (ITU)
48. Personal computers in use per 100 population and Internet users per 100 population (ITU)

(Sponsor Link: OfferForge | kalahari.net | bidorbuy )

Welcome to MDGs Africa

ifeoluwa — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:54:30 +0000

I welcome you all to Millenium Development Goals(MDGs) Africa.

I created this blog as part of my own contribution to achieving the Millenium Development Goals especially in Africa.

At the Millennium Summit in September 2000 the largest gathering of world leaders in history adopted the UN Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of time-bound targets, with a deadline of 2015, that have become known as the Millennium Development Goals.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the world’s time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions-income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. They are also basic human rights-the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter, and security.

The MDGs has an achievement target of 2015 and we are already half way to 2015, with the look of things and progresses made so far, it seems the goals might not be attainable, but with the input of you and I, the “rich countries”, and other stakeholders, I belief the targets are still realistic.

Reference

http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/goals/index.htm

(Sponsor Link: OfferForge | kalahari.net | bidorbuy )