MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international development goals that all

193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to a hieve b! the !ear 2"1#$ The goals are% eradi ating e&treme povert! and hunger' a hieving universal primar! edu ation' promoting gender e(ualit! and empo)ering )omen redu ing hild mortalit! rates' improving maternal health' *ombating diseases' +,-./,D0' malaria' and other

the 6orld 7an8' the ,nternational Monetar! 4und (,M4)' and the /1ri an Development 7an8 (/D7) to an el an additional 9:";## billion debt o)ed b! members o1 the +eavil! ,ndebted <oor *ountries (+,<*) to allo) impoverished ountries to re= hannel the resour es saved 1rom the 1orgiven debt to so ial programs 1or improving health and edu ation and 1or alleviating povert!$ Debate has surrounded adoption o1 the MDGs' 1o using on la 8 o1 anal!sis and >usti1i ation behind the hosen ob>e tives' the di11i ult! or la 8 o1 measurements 1or some o1 the goals' and uneven progress to)ards rea hing the goals' among other riti isms$ /lthough developed ountries? aid 1or a hieving the MDGs have been rising over re ent !ears' more than hal1 the aid is to)ards debt relie1 o)ed b! poor ountries' )ith remaining aid mone! going to)ards natural disaster relie1 and militar! aid )hi h does not 1urther development$ <rogress to)ards rea hing the goals has been uneven$ 0ome ountries have a hieved man! o1 the goals' )hile others are not on tra 8 to realize an!$ / UN on1eren e in 0eptember 2"1"

ensuring environmental sustainabilit!' and developing a global partnership 1or development 2a h o1 the goals have spe i1i stated targets and dates 1or a hieving those targets$ To a elerate progress' the G3 4inan e Ministers agreed in 5une 2""# to provide enough 1unds to

revie)ed progress to date and on luded )ith the adoption o1 a global a tion plan to a hieve the eight anti=povert! goals b! their 2"1# target date$ There )ere also ne) ommitments on )omen?s and hildren?s health' and ne) initiatives in the )orld)ide battle against povert!' hunger and disease$ Government organizations assist in a hieving those goals' among them are the United Nations Millennium *ampaign' the Millennium <romise /llian e' ,n $' the Global <overt! <ro>e t' the Mi ah *hallenge' The @outh in / tion 2U <rogramme A*artoons in / tionA video pro>e t and the 3 -isions o1 +ope global art pro>e t$ The MDGs )ere developed out o1 the eight hapters o1 the Millennium De laration' signed in 0eptember 2"""$ There are eight goals )ith 21 targets'B9C and a series o1 measurable indi ators 1or ea h target$B1"CB11C BeditCGoal 1% 2radi ate e&treme povert! and hunger Target 1/% +alve the proportion o1 people living on less than 91 a da!

<roportion o1 population belo) 91 per da! (<<< values) <overt! gap ratio Bin iden e & depth o1 povert!C 0hare o1 poorest (uintile in national onsumption Target 17% / hieve De ent 2mplo!ment 1or 6omen' Men' and @oung <eople GD< Gro)th per 2mplo!ed <erson 2mplo!ment Date <roportion o1 emplo!ed population belo) 91 per da! (<<< values) <roportion o1 1amil!=based )or8ers in emplo!ed population Target 1*% +alve the proportion o1 people )ho su11er 1rom hunger <revalen e o1 under)eight !ears o1 age hildren under 1ive

<roportion o1 population belo) minimum level o1 dietar! energ! onsumptionB12C BeditCGoal 2% / hieve universal primar! edu ation

Target 2/% 7! 2"1#' all hildren an omplete a 1ull ourse o1 primar! s hooling' girls and bo!s 2nrollment in primar! edu ation *ompletion o1 primar! edu ation Eitera ! o1 1#=2: !ear olds' 1emale and maleB13C BeditCGoal 3% <romote gender e(ualit! and empo)er )omen Target 3/% 2liminate gender disparit! in primar! and se ondar! edu ation pre1erabl! b! 2""#' and at all levels b! 2"1# Datios o1 girls to bo!s in primar!' se ondar! and tertiar! edu ation 0hare o1 )omen in )age emplo!ment in the non= agri ultural se tor <roportion o1 seats held b! )omen in national parliamentB1:C 4or girls in some regions' edu ation remains elusiveB1#C <overt! is a ma>or barrier to edu ation' espe iall! among older girlsB1#C

,n ever! developing region e& ept the *,0' men outnumber )omen in paid emplo!mentB1#C 6omen are largel! relegated to more vulnerable 1orms o1 emplo!mentB1#C 6omen are over=represented in in1ormal emplo!ment' )ith its la 8 o1 bene1its and se urit!B1#C Top=level >obs still go to men F to an over)helming degreeB1#C 6omen are slo)l! rising to politi al po)er' but mainl! )hen boosted b! (uotas and other spe ial measuresB1#C BeditCGoal :% Dedu e hild mortalit! rates Target :/% Dedu e b! t)o=thirds' bet)een 199" and 2"1#' the under=1ive mortalit! rate Under=1ive mortalit! rate ,n1ant (under 1) mortalit! rate <roportion o1 1=!ear=old against measlesB1GC hildren immunized

BeditCGoal #% ,mprove maternal health

Target #/% Dedu e b! three (uarters' bet)een 199" and 2"1#' the maternal mortalit! ratio Maternal mortalit! ratio <roportion o1 births attended b! s8illed health personnel Target #7% / hieve' b! 2"1#' universal a ess to reprodu tive health *ontra eptive prevalen e rate /doles ent birth rate /ntenatal are overage Unmet need 1or 1amil! planningB1HC BeditCGoal G% *ombat +,-./,D0' malaria' and other diseases Target G/% +ave halted b! 2"1# and begun to reverse the spread o1 +,-./,D0 +,- prevalen e among population aged 1#;2: !ears *ondom use at last high=ris8 se&

<roportion o1 population aged 1#;2: !ears )ith omprehensive orre t 8no)ledge o1 +,-./,D0 Target G7% / hieve' b! 2"1"' universal a ess to treatment 1or +,-./,D0 1or all those )ho need it <roportion o1 population )ith advan ed +,in1e tion )ith a ess to antiretroviral drugs Target G*% +ave halted b! 2"1# and begun to reverse the in iden e o1 malaria and other ma>or diseases <revalen e and death rates asso iated )ith malaria <roportion o1 hildren under # sleeping under inse ti ide=treated bednets <roportion o1 hildren under # )ith 1ever )ho are treated )ith appropriate anti=malarial drugs ,n iden e' prevalen e and asso iated )ith tuber ulosis death rates

<roportion o1 tuber ulosis ases dete ted and ured under DIT0 (Dire tl! Ibserved Treatment 0hort *ourse)B13C

BeditCGoal H% 2nsure environmental sustainabilit! Target H/% ,ntegrate the prin iples o1 sustainable development into ountr! poli ies and programsJ reverse loss o1 environmental resour es Target H7% Dedu e biodiversit! loss' a hieving' b! 2"1"' a signi1i ant redu tion in the rate o1 loss <roportion o1 land area overed b! 1orest *I2 emissions' total' per apita and per 91 GD< (<<<) *onsumption o1 ozone=depleting substan es <roportion o1 1ish sto 8s )ithin sa1e biologi al limits <roportion o1 total )ater resour es used <roportion o1 prote ted terrestrial and marine areas

<roportion o1 population )ith sustainable a ess to an improved )ater sour e' urban and rural <roportion o1 urban population )ith a improved sanitation ess to

Target HD% 7! 2"2"' to have a hieved a signi1i ant improvement in the lives o1 at least 1"" million slum=d)ellers <roportion o1 urban population living in slumsB19C BeditCGoal 3% Develop a global partnership 1or development Target 3/% Develop 1urther an open' rule=based' predi table' non=dis riminator! trading and 1inan ial s!stem ,n ludes a ommitment to good governan e' development' and povert! redu tion ; both nationall! and internationall! Target 37% /ddress the 0pe ial Needs o1 the Eeast Developed *ountries (ED*) ,n ludes% tari11 and (uota 1ree a ess 1or ED* e&portsJ enhan ed programme o1 debt relie1 1or +,<* and an ellation o1 o11i ial bilateral debtJ

<roportion o1 spe ies threatened )ith e&tin tion Target H*% +alve' b! 2"1#' the proportion o1 the population )ithout sustainable a ess to sa1e drin8ing )ater and basi sanitation (1or more in1ormation see the entr! on )ater suppl!)

and more generous ID/ Development /ssistan e) 1or ommitted to povert! redu tion

(Iverseas ountries

Target 3*% /ddress the spe ial needs o1 landlo 8ed developing ountries and small island developing 0tates Through the <rogramme o1 / tion 1or the 0ustainable Development o1 0mall ,sland Developing 0tates and the out ome o1 the t)ent!=se ond spe ial session o1 the General /ssembl! Target 3D% Deal omprehensivel! )ith the debt problems o1 developing ountries through national and international measures in order to ma8e debt sustainable in the long term 0ome o1 the indi ators listed belo) are monitored separatel! 1or the least developed ountries (ED*s)' /1ri a' landlo 8ed developing ountries and small island developing 0tates$ I11i ial development assistan e (ID/)% Net ID/' total and to ED*s' as per entage o1 I2*D.D/* donorsK GN,

<roportion o1 total se tor=allo able ID/ o1 I2*D.D/* donors to basi so ial servi es (basi edu ation' primar! health are' nutrition' sa1e )ater and sanitation) <roportion o1 bilateral ID/ o1 I2*D.D/* donors that is untied ID/ re eived in landlo 8ed proportion o1 their GN,s ountries as

ID/ re eived in small island developing 0tates as proportion o1 their GN,s Mar8et a ess%

<roportion o1 total developed ountr! imports (b! value and e& luding arms) 1rom developing ountries and 1rom ED*s' admitted 1ree o1 dut! /verage tari11s imposed b! developed ountries on agri ultural produ ts and te&tiles and lothing 1rom developing ountries /gri ultural support estimate 1or I2*D ountries as per entage o1 their GD< <roportion o1 ID/ provided to help build trade apa it!

Debt sustainabilit!% Total number o1 ountries that have rea hed their +,<* de ision points and number that have rea hed their +,<* ompletion points ( umulative) Debt relie1 ommitted under +,<* initiative' U09 Debt servi e as a per entage o1 e&ports o1 goods and servi es Target 32% ,n o=operation )ith pharma euti al ompanies' provide a ess to a11ordable' essential drugs in developing ountries <roportion o1 population )ith a ess to a11ordable essential drugs on a sustainable basis Target 34% ,n o=operation )ith the private se tor' ma8e available the bene1its o1 ne) te hnologies' espe iall! in1ormation and ommuni ations Telephone lines and ellular subs ribers per 1"" population <ersonal omputers in use per 1"" population ,nternet users per 1"" <opulationB2"C

Debate surrounding the MDGs

Dra)ba 8s o1 the MDGs in lude the la 8 o1 anal!ti al po)er and >usti1i ation behind the hosen ob>e tives$B#C The MDGs leave out important ideals' su h as the la 8 o1 strong ob>e tives and indi ators 1or e(ualit!' )hi h is onsidered b! man! s holars to be a ma>or 1la) o1 the MDGs due to the disparities o1 progress to)ards povert! redu tion bet)een groups )ithin nations$B:CB#C The MDGs also la 8 a 1o us on lo al parti ipation and empo)erment (e& luding )omenKs empo)erment) BDeneulin L 0hahani 2""9C$ The MDGs also la 8 an emphasis on sustainabilit!' ma8ing their 1uture a1ter 2"1# (uestionable$B#C Thus' )hile the MDGs are a tool 1or tra 8ing progress to)ard basi povert! redu tion and provide a ver! basi poli ! road map to a hieving these goals' the! do not apture all elements needed to a hieve the ideals set out in the Millennium De laration$B:C /nother riti ism o1 the MDGs is the di11i ult! or la 8 o1 measurements 1or some o1 the goals$

/mir /ttaran' an /sso iate <ro1essor and *anada Desear h *hair in Ea)' <opulation +ealth' and Global Development <oli ! at Universit! o1 Itta)a' argues that goals related to maternal mortalit!' malaria' and tuber ulosis are in pra ti e impossible to measure and that urrent UN estimates do not have s ienti1i validit! or are missing$B21C +ousehold surve!s are o1ten used b! the UN organisations to estimate data 1or the health MDGs$B21C These surve!s have been argued to be poor measurements o1 the data the! are tr!ing to olle t' and man! di11erent organisations have redundant surve!s' )hi h )aste limited resour es$B21C 4urthermore' ountries )ith the highest levels o1 maternal mortalit!' malaria' and tuber ulosis o1ten have the least amount o1 reliable data olle tion$B21C /ttaran argues that )ithout a urate measures o1 past and urrent data 1or the health related MDGs' it is impossible to determine i1 progress has been made to)ard the goals' leaving the MDGs as little more than a rhetori al all to arms$B21C

<roponents 1or the MDGs argue that )hile some goals are di11i ult to measure' that there is still validit! in setting goals as the! provide a politi al and operational 1rame)or8 to a hieving the goals$B22C The! also assert that non=health related MDGs are o1ten )ell measured' and it is )rong to assume that all MDGs are doomed to 1ail due to la 8 o1 data$B22C ,t is 1urther argued that 1or di11i ult to measure goals' best pra ti es have be identi1ied and their impli ation is measurable as )ell as their positive e11e ts on progress$ 6ith an in rease in the (uantit! and (ualit! o1 health are s!stems in developing ountries' more data )ill be olle ted' as )ell as more progress made$B22C Eastl! the MDGs bring attention to measurements o1 )ellbeing be!ond in ome' and this attention alone helps bring 1unding to a hieving these goals$B#C The MDGs are also argued to help the human development b! providing a measurement o1 human development that is not based solel! on in ome' prioritizing interventions' establishing obtainable ob>e tives )ith operationalized measurements o1 progress (though the data

needed to measure progress is di11i ult to obtain)' and in reasing the developed )orldKs involvement in )orld)ide povert! redu tion$B#C B23C The measurement o1 human development in the MDGs goes be!ond in ome' and even >ust basi health and edu ation' to in lude gender and reprodu tive rights' environmental sustainabilit! and spread o1 te hnolog!$B#C <rioritizing interventions helps developing ountries )ith limited resour es ma8e de isions about )here to allo ate their resour es through )hi h publi poli ies$B#C The MDGs also strengthen the ommitment o1 developed ountries to helping developing ountries' and en ourage the 1lo) o1 aid and in1ormation sharing$B#C The >oint responsibilit! o1 developing and developed nations 1or a hieving the MDGs in reases the li8elihood o1 their su ess' )hi h is rein1or ed b! their 139= ountr! support (the MDGs are the most broadl! supported povert! redu tion targets ever set b! the )orld)$BHC BeditC<rogress

<rogress to)ards rea hing the goals has been uneven$ 0ome ountries have a hieved man! o1 the goals'B2:C )hile others are not on tra 8 to realize an!$B2#C The ma>or ountries that have been a hieving their goals in lude *hina ()hose povert! population has redu ed 1rom :#2 million to 2H3 million) and ,ndia due to lear internal and e&ternal 1a tors o1 population and e onomi development$B2GC +o)ever' areas needing the most redu tion' su h as the 0ub=0aharan /1ri a regions have !et to ma8e an! drasti hanges in improving their (ualit! o1 li1e$ ,n the same time as *hina' 0ub=0aharan /1ri a redu ed their povert! about one per ent' and are at a ma>or ris8 o1 not meeting the MDGs b! 2"1#$B2GC +o)ever' eventhough the povert! rates in sub=0aharan /1ri a de reased in a small per ent' there are some su esses regarding millennium development goals in sub=0aharan /1ri a$ ,n the ase o1 MDG 1' sub=0aharan region started to eradi ate povert! b! strengthening the industr! o1 ri e produ tion$ Iriginall!' ri e produ tion )as one o1 the main problems sin e its produ tion rate ould not at h up the rapid population gro)th b! mid=199"s$ This aused great amount

o1 ri e imports and great osts 1or the governments rea hing nearl! U091 billion annuall!$ ,n addition' 1armers in /1ri a su11ered 1rom 1inding the suitable spe ies o1 ri e that an )ell=adapt in their onditions )ith high=!ield hara teristi $ Then' Ne) Di e 1or /1ri a (N2D*/) )hi h is high=!ielding and )ell adapting to the /1ri an onditions )as developed and ontributed to the 1ood se urit! in sub= 0aharan regions in luding *ongo 7razzaville' *Mte d?,voire' the Demo rati Depubli o1 the *ongo' Guinea' Nen!a' Mali' Nigeria' Togo and Uganda$ No) about 13 varieties o1 the h!brid spe ies are available to ri e 1armers and 1or the 1irst time man! 1armers are able to produ e enough ri e to 1eed their 1amilies and to gain pro1it at the mar8et$B2HC 0ub=0aharan region also sho) improvement in the ase o1 MDG 2$ 0 hool 1ees that in luded <arent=Tea her /sso iation and ommunit! ontributions' te&tboo8 1ees' ompulsor! uni1orms and other harges )ere highl! e&pensive in sub=0aharan /1ri a' ta8ing up nearl! a (uarter o1 a poor 1amil!Ks in ome$ This )as one o1 the barriers 1or enrollment and thus' ountries li8e 7urundi' the Demo rati

Depubli o1 the *ongo' 2thiopia' Ghana' Nen!a' Mala)i' Mozambi(ue' Tanzania and Uganda have eliminated s hool 1ees$ This resulted in the in rease in student enrollment in several regions$ 4or instan e in Ghana' publi s hool enrollment in the most deprived distri ts soared 1rom :$2 million to #$: million bet)een 2"": and 2""#$ ,n Nen!a' enrollment o1 primar! s hool hildren surged signi1i antl! )ith 1$2 million e&tra in rease o1 hildren in s hool in 2""3 and b! 2"":' the number had limbed to H$2 million$B23C 4undamental issues )ill determine )hether or not the MDGs are a hieved' namel! gender' the divide bet)een the humanitarian and development agendas and e onomi gro)th' a ording to resear hers at the Iverseas Development ,nstitute$B29CB3"CB31C / hieving the MDGs does not depend on e onomi gro)th alone and e&pensive solutions$ ,n the ase o1 MDG :' some developing ountries li8e 7angladesh have sho)n that it is possible to redu e hild mortalit! )ith onl! modest gro)th )ith ine&pensive but e11e tive interventions' su h as measles immunisation$B32C

,t has also been 1ound that total government e&penditure )ould not' in most ases' be enough to meet the agreed spending targets in a number o1 se tors highlighted b! the MDGs$B33C Desear h on health s!stems and the Millennium Development Goals suggests that a ?one size 1its all model? )ill not su11i ientl! respond to the individual health are pro1iles o1 developing ountriesJ ho)ever' the stud! does 1ind a set o1 similar onstraints in s aling up international health' in luding the la 8 o1 absorptive apa it!' )ea8 health s!stems' human resour e limitations' and high osts$ The stud! argues that the emphasis on (uantitative overage obs ures the measures re(uired 1or s aling up health are$ These measures in lude politi al' organizational' and 1un tional dimensions o1 s aling up' and the need to nurture lo al organizations$B3:C Goal 3 o1 the MDGs is uni(ue in the sense that it 1o uses on donor government ommitments and a hievements' rather than su esses in the developing )orld$ The *ommitment to Development ,nde&' published annuall! b! the *enter 1or Global Development is o1ten

onsidered to be the numeri al targeting indi ator 1or the 3th MDG$B3#C ,t is a more omprehensive measure o1 donor progress than simpl! I11i ial Development /ssistan e as it ta8es into a ount poli ies on a number o1 indi ators that a11e t developing ountries su h as trade' migration' and investment$ To a elerate progress to)ards the MDGs' the G=3 4inan e Ministers met in Eondon in 5une 2""# (in preparation 1or the G=3 Gleneagles 0ummit in 5ul!) and rea hed an agreement to provide enough 1unds to the 6orld 7an8' the ,M4' and the /1ri an Development 7an8 (/D7) to an el an additional 9:";## billion debt o)ed b! members o1 the +eavil! ,ndebted <oor *ountries (+,<*)$ This )ould allo) impoverished ountries to re= hannel the resour es saved 1rom the 1orgiven debt to so ial programs 1or improving health and edu ation and 1or alleviating povert!$ B3GC 7a 8ed b! G=3 1unding' the 6orld 7an8' the ,nternational Monetar! 4und' and the /D7 ea h endorsed the Gleaneagles plan and implemented the Multilateral Debt Delie1 ,nitiative (MDD,) to

e11e tuate the debt an ellations$ The MDD, supplements +,<* b! providing ea h ountr! that rea hes the +,<* ompletion point 1""O 1orgiveness o1 its multilateral debt$ *ountries that previousl! rea hed the de ision point be ame eligible 1or 1ull debt 1orgiveness on e their lending agen ! on1irmed that the ountries had ontinued to maintain the re1orms implemented during +,<* status$ Ither ountries that subse(uentl! rea h the ompletion point automati all! re eive 1ull 1orgiveness o1 their multilateral debt under MDD,$B3GC 6hile the 6orld 7an8 and /D7 limit MDD, to ountries that omplete the +,<* program' the ,M4?s MDD, eligibilit! riteria are slightl! less restri tive so as to ompl! )ith the ,M4?s uni(ue Auni1orm treatmentA re(uirement$ ,nstead o1 limiting eligibilit! to +,<* ountries' an! ountr! )ith annual per apita in ome o1 933" or less (uali1ies 1or MDD, debt an ellation$ The ,M4 adopted the 933" threshold be ause it losel! appro&imates the ountries eligible 1or +,<*$B3GC @et' as 2"1# approa hes' in reasing global un ertainties su h as the e onomi risis and

limate hange have led to an opportunit! to rethin8 the MDG approa h to development poli !$ / ording to the ?,n 4o us? <oli ! 7rie1 1rom the ,nstitute o1 Development 0tudies' the ?/1ter 2"1#? debateB3HC is about (uestioning the value o1 an MDG=t!pe' target=based approa h to international development' about progress so 1ar on povert! redu tion' about loo8ing to an un ertain 1uture and e&ploring )hat 8ind o1 s!stem is needed a1ter the MDG deadline has passed$B33C 4urther developments in rethin8ing strategies and approa hes to a hieving the MDGs in lude resear h b! the Iverseas Development ,nstitute into the role o1 e(uit!$B39C Desear hers at the ID, argue progress an be a elerated due to re ent brea8throughs in the role e(uit! pla!s in reating a virtuous ir le )here rising e(uit! ensures the poor parti ipate in their ountr!?s develop and reates redu tions in povert! and 1inan ial stabilit!$B39C @et e(uit! should not be understood purel! as e onomi ' but also as politi al$ 2&amples abound and in lude 7razil?s ash trans1ers' Uganda?s eliminations o1 user

1ees and the subse(uent huge in rease in in visits 1rom the ver! poorest or else Mauritius?s dual=tra 8 approa h to liberalisation (in lusive gro)th and in lusive development) aiding it on its road into the 6orld Trade Irganization$B39C Desear hers at the ID, thus propose e(uit! be measured in league tables in order to provide a learer insight into ho) MDGs an be a hieved more (ui 8l!J the ID, is )or8ing )ith partners to put 1or)ard league tables at the 2"1" MDG revie) meeting$B39C The e11e ts o1 in reasing drug use have been noted b! the ,nternational 5ournal o1 Drug <oli ! as a deterrent to the goal o1 the MDGs$B:"C Ither development s holars' su h as Naila Nabeer' *aren Gro)n' and Noeleen +e!zer argue that an in reased 1o us on )omenKs empo)erment and gender mainstreaming o1 MDGs=related poli ies )ill a elerate the progress o1 the MDGs$ Nabeer argues that in reasing )omenKs empo)erment and a ess to paid )or8 )ill help redu e hild mortalit!$B:1C 0he supports her point )ith eviden e that 0outh /sian ountries )ith the high levels in o1 gender

dis rimination that limit )omenKs a ess to 1ood and health are ause these same ountries to have the highest rates o1 lo) birth )eight babies in the )orld$B:1C This is be ause )omen e&perien ing malnutrition have lo) birth )eight babies$ 0in e lo)=birth )eight babies have limited han es o1 survival' improving )omenKs health b! in reasing their bargaining po)er in the 1amil! through paid )or8' )ill redu e hild mortalit!$B:1C /nother )a! empo)ering )omen )ill help a elerate the MDGs is the inverse relationship bet)een motherKs s hooling and hild=mortalit!' as )ell as the positive orrelation bet)een in reasing a motherKs agen ! over unearned in ome and health out omes o1 her hildren' espe iall! girls$ ,n reasing a motherKs edu ation and )or81or e parti ipation in reases these e11e ts$B:1C Eastl! empo)ering )omen b! reating e onomi opportunities 1or )omen de reases )omenKs parti ipation in the se& mar8et )hi h de reases the spread o1 /,D0' a MDG in itsel1 (MDG G/)$ Gro)n asserts that the resour es' te hnolog! and 8no)ledge e&ist to de rease povert! through

improving gender e(ualit!' it is >ust the politi al )ill that is missing$B:2C 0he argues that i1 donor ountries and developing ountries together 1o used on seven Ppriorit! areasQ% in reasing girlKs ompletion o1 se ondar! s hool' guarant!ing se&ual and reprodu tive health rights' improving in1rastru ture to ease )omenKs and girlKs time burdens' guaranteeing )omenKs propert! rights' redu ing gender ine(ualities in emplo!ment' in reasing seats held b! )omen in government' and ombating violen e against )omen' great progress ould be made to)ards the MDGs$B:2C 7oth Nabeer and +e!zer believe that the urrent MDGs targets do not pla e enough emphasis on tra 8ing gender ine(ualities in povert! redu tion and emplo!ment as there are onl! gender goals relating to health' edu ation and politi al representation$ ,n order to en ourage )omenKs empo)erment and progress to)ards the MDGs' in reased emphasis should be pla ed on gender mainstreaming development poli ies and olle ting data based on gender$