The Pacific

Progress toward the Millennium Development Goals Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Other Diseases Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability Goal 8: Global Partnership for Development

The Pacific developing member countries (PDMCs) progress toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is mixed. Several countries, notably those in Micronesia and Polynesia, have already achieved certain targets such as universal primary education or the elimination of gender disparities in education.

While some have made significant progress, others are struggling to provide the social, economic, physical, and political environment that promotes human development. Solomon Islands and, to a lesser extent, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu are lagging behind in achieving many of the social targets.

Discrepancies also continue to exist between islands and between rural and urban areas. Signs of increasing pockets of poverty and hardship challenge countries and development partners to better target policies and programs.

Time series data on poverty are not available. Poverty line incidence based on US$1/day has been estimated for:

For the other PDMCs, poverty incidence has been estimated from calculations of national basic needs poverty lines (BNPLs) derived from household income and expenditure surveys. The populations living below these national BNPLs were estimated to be:

Universal primary education has been achieved or almost achieved in most of the PDMCs except:

• Solomon Islands
• parts of PNG

Secondary enrollment levels, however, show great variations but remain relatively low in most countries. Most PDMCs also face the challenge of:

• access to educational facilities in remote areas
• the need to improve the quality of education and relevance to the employment market.

The gender gap is particularly noticeable in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. While female enrollment ratios have increased, they remain low for secondary education. In these countries there is also a significant gender gap in adult literacy rates. In most of the other countries gender disparity in education has, or has almost, been eliminated in primary and to a large extent in secondary education. Indeed in some countries (Samoa and Tonga), girls are outperforming boys at secondary level. Female participation in employment averages about one third across the region, but participation in politics remains limited in most PDMCs.

Child mortality rates remain high in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. In the other PDMCs mortality rates have decreased and should achieve the target by 2015.

Maternal mortality ratios are high in Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). In most other PDMCs, mortality rates have decreased with increasing access to skilled health personnel.

Few data on HIV/AIDS prevalence rates are available. However, the recent sharp increase in the reported rate of infections in PNG may have regional implications.

Countries that might be deemed to be at greatest risk are:

• Fiji Islands
• Kiribati
• RMI
• FSM
• Tuvalu

Contraception prevalence is very low in Timor-Leste, only 8% in 2000, and down from 11-13% in 1997-1999. In most other countries the rate averages around 30-35%.

In most PDMCs, morbidity and mortality rates associated with noncommunicable diseases have risen significantly. Infectious diseases including:

• malaria (where this is endemic)
• tuberculosis
• those associated with poor water and sanitation

Access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation varies and definitions are inconsistent.

Youth unemployment has been increasing in many countries, averaging over 25% at the regional aggregate level and reaching over 50% in parts of FSM. The increasing number of unemployed youth poses one of the serious challenges for PDMCs to meet the MDG goals.