Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight goals with measurable targets and clear deadlines for improving the lives of the world's poorest people. To meet these goals and eradicate poverty, leaders of 189 countries signed the historic millennium declaration at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000. At this time 8 goals that range from providing universal primary education to avoiding child and maternal mortality were set with a target achievement date of 2015.

The MDG-F contributes directly and indirectly to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, with the main driver behind its work being the eradication of extreme poverty. The Fund adopts an inclusive and comprehensive approach to the MDGs embracing the recent discourse on climate change as it relates to poverty while incorporating other programme areas that are recognized as prerequisites and/or mechanisms for MDG achievement. Our approach is guided by the Millennium Declaration and its emphasis on development as a right with targeted attention directed towards traditionally marginalized groups such as ethnic minorities, indigenous groups and women.

As the table below illustrates, six out of the eight MDG-F programmatic areas address one -or more- of the MDGs and their respective targets, while the last two play an important contributing role.

MDG-F Programme Area	Millennium Development Goal	MDG Targets
Environment and Climate Change	GOAL 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability	MDG Targets 7a: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources
Children, Food Security and Nutrition	GOAL 4: Reduce Child Mortality GOAL 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger	MDG Targets 4a: Reduce by two thirds between 1990 and 2015, the mortality rate among children under five. MDG Targets 1c: Reduce by half between 1990 and 2015the proportion of people who suffer from hunger
Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment	GOAL 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women	*The target for this Goal is limited to gender parity in primary and secondary education. MDG-F takes a wider approach addressing gender equality and women’s empowerment as a requirement for the fulfillment of all the MDGs.
Youth, Employment and Migration	GOAL 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger	MDG Targets 1b: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people
Democratic Economic Governance	GOAL 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability	MDG Targets 7.C: Halve by 2015 the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.
Development and the Private Sector	GOAL 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger	MDG Targets 1.A: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1.00 a day
Culture and Development	GOAL 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger GOAL 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women	MDG Targets 1.A: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1.00 a day *This area focuses on cultural rights, social inclusion and its potential in stimulating creative industries.
Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding	GOAL 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger GOAL 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women	Addressed as a cause and symptom of poverty and a condition for MDG fulfillment. 15% of the budget in this area is directed towards gender related interventions.