PART II
Millennium Development Goals
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Introduction
At the Millennium Summit in September 2000, the largest gathering of world leaders in history adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of targets, with a deadline of 2015. These have become known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In 2007, the MDG monitoring framework was revised to include four new targets agreed on by member states at the 2005 World Summit, namely, full and productive employment and decent work for all, access to reproductive health, access to treatment for HIV/AIDS, and protection of biodiversity. The indicators for these new targets became effective in January 2008 and this is the framework used here to monitor progress toward achieving the MDGs.
The first MDG targets the poor directly—those living on less than one dollar a day—while the next six focus on the underlying causes of poverty, such as lack of access to education, health care, and employment; gender inequality; poor housing conditions; and environmental degradation. The eighth goal is to develop a global partnership for development, and focuses on how the industrialized countries can work with the poorer countries to enhance the latter’s standard of living. The MDGs thus complement the Asian Development Bank’s vision of a region free of poverty, and its mission to help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their citizens. Box 1 lists the eight MDGs and the corresponding targets and indicators for monitoring progress.
| Box 1 Millennium Development Goals |
Goals and Targets
(from the Millennium Declaration) |
Indicators for Monitoring Progress |
| Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger |
| Target 1.A: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day |
1.1 Proportion of population below $1 (PPP) per day 1
1.2 Poverty gap ratio
1.3 Share of poorest quintile in national consumption |
| Target 1.B: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people |
1.4 Growth rate of GDP per person employed
1.5 Employment-to-population ratio
1.6 Proportion of employed people living below $1 (PPP) per day
1.7 Proportion of own-account and contributing family workers in total employment |
| Target 1.C: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger |
1.8 Prevalence of underweight children under-five years of age
1.9 Proportion of population below minimum level of dietary energy consumption |
| Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education |
| Target 2.A: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling |
2.1 Net enrollment ratio in primary education
2.2 Proportion of pupils starting grade 1 who reach last grade of primary
2.3 Literacy rate of 15–24 year-olds, women and men |
| Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women |
| Target 3.A: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015 |
3.1 Ratios of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education
3.2 Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector
3.3 Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament |
| Goal 4: Reduce child mortality |
| Target 4.A: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate |
4.1 Under-five mortality rate
4.2 Infant mortality rate
4.3 Proportion of 1-year-old children immunized against measles |
| Goal 5: Improve maternal health |
| Target 5.A: Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio |
5.1 Maternal mortality ratio
5.2 Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel |
| Target 5.B: Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health |
5.3 Contraceptive prevalence rate
5.4 Adolescent birth rate
5.5 Antenatal care coverage (at least one visit and at least four visits)
5.6 Unmet need for family planning |
| Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases |
| Target 6.A: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS |
6.1 HIV prevalence among population aged 15–24 years
6.2 Condom use at last high-risk sex
6.3 Proportion of population aged 15–24 years with comprehensive correct
knowledge of HIV/AIDS
6.4 Ratio of school attendance of orphans to school attendance of non-
orphans aged 10–14 years |
| Target 6.B: Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it |
6.5 Proportion of population with advanced HIV infection with access to antiretroviral drugs |
| Target 6.C: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases |
6.6 Incidence and death rates associated with malaria
6.7 Proportion of children under 5 sleeping under insecticide-treated bednets
6.8 Proportion of children under 5 with fever who are treated with appropriate anti-malarial drugs
6.9 Incidence, prevalence, and death rates associated with tuberculosis
6.10 Proportion of tuberculosis cases detected and cured under directly observed treatment short course |
| Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability |
Target 7.A: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources
|
7.1 Proportion of land area covered by forest
7.2 CO2 emissions, total, per capita, and per $1 GDP (PPP)
7.3 Consumption of ozone-depleting substances
7.4 Proportion of fish stocks within safe biological limits
7.5 Proportion of total water resources used |
| Target 7.B: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss |
7.6 Proportion of terrestrial and marine areas protected
7.7 Proportion of species threatened with extinction |
| Target 7.C: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation |
7.8 Proportion of population using an improved drinking water source
7.9 Proportion of population using an improved sanitation facility |
| Target 7.D: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers |
7.10 Proportion of urban population living in slums 2 |
| Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development |
Target 8.A: Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system
Includes a commitment to good governance, development and poverty reduction – both nationally and internationally
Target 8.B: Address the special needs of the least developed countries
Includes: tariff and quota free access for the least developed countries’ exports; enhanced programme of debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) and cancellation of official bilateral debt; and more generous ODA for countries committed to poverty reduction
Target 8.C: Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries and small island developing States (through the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and the outcome of the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly)
Target 8.D: Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term |
Some of the indicators listed below are monitored separately for the least developed countries (LDCs), Africa, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing States.
Official development assistance (ODA)
8.1 Net ODA, total and to the least developed countries, as percentage of OECD/DAC donors’ gross national income
8.2 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)
8.3 Proportion of bilateral official development assistance of OECD/DAC donors that is untied
8.4 ODA received in landlocked developing countries as a proportion of their gross national incomes
8.5 ODA received in small island developing States as a proportion of their gross national incomes
Market access
8.6 Proportion of total developed country imports (by value and excluding arms) from developing countries and least developed countries, admitted free of duty
8.7 Average tariffs imposed by developed countries on agricultural products and textiles and clothing from developing countries
8.8 Agricultural support estimate for OECD countries as a percentage of their gross domestic product
8.9 Proportion of ODA provided to help build trade capacity
Debt sustainability
8.10 Total number of countries that have reached their HIPC decision points and number that have reached their HIPC completion points (cumulative)
8.11 Debt relief committed under HIPC and MDRI Initiatives
8.12 Debt service as a percentage of exports of goods and services |
| Target 8.E: In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries |
8.13 Proportion of population with access to affordable essential drugs on a sustainable basis |
| Target 8.F: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications |
8.14 Telephone lines per 100 population
8.15 Cellular subscribers per 100 population
8.16 Internet users per 100 population |
|
AIDS = acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, CO2 = carbon dioxide, DAC = Development Assistance Committee, GDP = gross domestic product, HIV = human immunodeficiency virus, MDRI = Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative. OECD = Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, PPP = purchasing power parity.
1 For monitoring country poverty trends, indicators based on national poverty lines should be used, where available.
2 The actual proportion of people living in slums is measured by a proxy, represented by the urban population living in households with at least one of the four characteristics: (a) lack of access to improved water supply; (b) lack of access to improved sanitation; (c) overcrowding (three or more persons per room); and (d) dwellings made of nondurable material.
|
To assess progress, all indicators should be disaggregated by sex and urban and/or rural areas as far as possible. Not all indicators listed in Box 1 are available for all countries. Several new indicators were introduced in the revised monitoring framework. The accompanying tables in Part II contain the indicators currently available on a comparable basis for countries of the Asia and Pacific region.
Progress toward Achieving Millennium Development Goals
The MDGs discussed in Part II are taken in order according to the classification presented in Box 1. For each goal, there is a short nontechnical write-up together with supporting statistical information in the form of figures, boxes, and tables, on the performance of countries toward achieving the goals.
To ascertain the performance of countries toward reaching the MDGs, countries are assessed according to latest available data. It is important to remember that the progress of countries is provisional and is likely to change as the 2015 target date draws closer. This is particularly relevant at the present time in view of the global economic crisis, which began in the second half of 2008.
Not all MDGs are likely to be affected to the same extent by the economic crisis. Progress toward eradicating extreme poverty and hunger (MDG 1) may be particularly vulnerable because of rising unemployment and falling household incomes. Reducing child mortality (MDG 4) and improving maternal health (MDG 5) could also be affected if governments cut back on immunization campaigns, training midwives, and antenatal care, for example. On the other hand, the impact on MDGs 2 and 3—achieve universal primary education, and promote gender equality and empower women—may be less severe.
Country Groups
In commenting on performance made by countries toward achieving the MDGs, three groups of countries are often singled out for special mention:
- The five most populous countries, namely, Bangladesh, People’s Republic of China, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan, are of special interest because progress by these countries determines the progress of most of the population of the Asia and Pacific region.
- The 14 Pacific countries are mostly small and isolated and they have similar difficulties in meeting their targets.
- The countries of the former Soviet Union in Central and West Asia are still to some extent in transition from systems of government characterized by central planning and extensive welfare provision, to market economies in which fewer health and education services are being provided by government. As a result, they have similar experiences with each other in meeting many of the targets.
Data Sources and Comparability with Other Publications
The tables included in Part II contain data that have mostly been compiled by the designated international agencies for the respective MDG indicators. These data have been verified to the extent possible but responsibility for the reliability of the statistics remains with the agencies that are listed as the sources of each table.
Differences in the data and analyses of the performance of countries in meeting the goals that exist between this publication and reports from other organizations may be due to several factors, including data sources, dates when statistics were collected and published, and methodology.
Selected References
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 2007. OECD Factbook 2007. Paris.
Perucci, Francesca. 2008. “Global MDG Monitoring: The New Monitoring Framework.” Presentation at the Workshop on Millennium Development Goals Monitoring. 5–8 May, Kampala, Uganda. Available: mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Attach/Capacity/Uganda08%20Presentations/8%20May/1%20-%20UNSD%20-%20Global%20MDG%20Monitoring%20and%20new%20MDG%20framework.ppt.
United Nations Development Group. 2003. Indicators for Monitoring the Millennium Development Goals: Definitions, Rationale, Concepts and Methods. New York. Available: mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Attach/Indicators/HandbookEnglish.pdf.
United Nations Economic and Social Council. 2008. Report of the Secretary-General on the indicators for monitoring the Millennium Development Goals. Available: unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/doc08/2008-29-Indicators-E.pdf.
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Asian Development Bank, and United Nations Development Programme. 2007. “The Millennium Development Goals: Progress in Asia and the Pacific 2007.” Asia Pacific MDG Study Series ST/ESCAP/2465. Bangkok, Thailand.
World Bank. 2009a. Global Monitoring Report 2009. Washington, DC.
——— 2009b. World Development Indicators 2009. Washington, DC.
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Introduction to the Millennium Development Goals
Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
In 19 economies in the Asia and Pacific region, including some of the most populous, more than 10% of the population live on less than $1.25 a day. In general, economies with more equal income distributions have lower percentages of poor people. In 19 economies, again including some of the most populous, more than 10% of the population are malnourished. In nearly two thirds of economies for which data are available, 10% or more of children under 5 years of age are underweight. Compared to 2007, gains in GDP per person employed were somewhat lower in 2008 for many economies.
Read the commentary for Goal 1
- Table 1.1 Target 1.A: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day [ XLS: 51 kb ]
- Table 1.2 Target 1.B: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people [ XLS: 50 kb ]
- Table 1.3 Target 1.C: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger [ XLS: 89 kb ]
Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
In eight economies in the region including a number from the Pacific, total net enrollment ratios in primary education are below 80%. Eleven economies including several from the former Soviet Union have achieved expected primary education completion rates of at least 95%. In most economies for which data are available, over 95% of 15–24 year olds are literate. In economies with lower literacy rates, women are more likely to be illiterate than men.
Read the commentary for Goal 2
- Table 2.1 Target 2.A: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling [ XLS: 58 kb ]
Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Gender equality in primary school enrollment is high, with most economies having ratios of 0.95 or more. This is also the case for gender equality in secondary school enrollment, but not so for tertiary education. When women do enroll in school, they tend to study longer than men. In 10 developing economies of the region, women make up 45% or more of the non-agricultural workforce. These ratios are typical of developed economies.
Read the commentary for Goal 3
- Table 3.1 Target 3.A: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education not later than 2015 [ XLS: 52 kb ]
Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality
In most economies, a child has a very good chance of reaching the fifth birthday if he or she survives the first year of life. In over 40% of the economies with available data, child deaths are 30 or less per 1,000 live births. The People’s Republic of China is in this group but the other four most populous countries all have higher rates. Measles immunization rates are generally rising in the region. In 2000, only 12 economies had measles vaccination percentages of 95% or better, but by 2007 the number had risen to 17. Immunization against measles in the first year of life can be particularly effective in reducing child mortality.
Read the commentary for Goal 4
- Table 4.1 Target 4.A: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate [ XLS: 36 kb ]
Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health
In the Asia and Pacific region, maternal mortality ranges from 1 per 100,000 live births in Hong Kong, China to 1,800 in Afghanistan. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has a rather low rate of 45 but over 300 women die in childbirth per 100,000 live births in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan. There is fairly strong evidence that maternal mortality ratios are reduced when a trained health worker is present. Adolescent birth rates have generally been falling since 1990 and in some cases the falls have been dramatic. But seven economies reported increases.
Read the commentary for Goal 5
- Table 5.1 Target 5.A: Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio [ XLS: 30 kb ]
- Table 5.2 Target 5.B: Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health [ XLS: 37 kb ]
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Other Diseases
The large majority of HIV sufferers live in just six countries. Adult HIV victims in the region are mainly men. In Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), over 90% of those living with HIV have access to antiretroviral drugs. In most other countries, less than 30% of those who need them currently have access to antiretroviral drugs. Most economies have been very successful in reducing the prevalence of tuberculosis, but prevalence rates are rising in seven Central and West Asian economies although the rates are still quite low.
Read the commentary for Goal 6
- Table 6.1 Target 6.A: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS [ XLS: 30 kb ]
- Table 6.2 Target 6.B: Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it [ XLS: 31 kb ]
- Table 6.3 Target 6.C: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases [ XLS: 85 kb ]
Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability
From 1990 to 2005, 85,000 square kilometers of forest area were lost to other uses, and six economies that are major producers of tropical hardwoods reported a combined loss of 440,000 square kilometers—an area roughly the size of Uzbekistan. Per capita emissions of carbon dioxide are rising in most economies in the region including all five most populous economies. The five most populous countries are also high or medium-high consumers of ozone-depleting substances. About half of the economies for which data are available have either cut the proportion of urban population without access to improved sanitation by at least half or kept the proportion at 5% or below. But 13 economies still have more than a quarter of urban households without access to improved sanitation.
Read the commentary for Goal 7
- Table 7.1 Target 7.A: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources [ XLS: 47 kb ]
- Table 7.2 Target 7.B: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss [ XLS: 27 kb ]
- Table 7.3 Target 7.C: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation
[ XLS: 60 kb ]
- Table 7.4 Target 7.D: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers [ XLS: 30 kb ]
Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
The relative weight of debt service has been falling since 2000 in most economies for which data are available. Cell phones are now much more common than fixed line telephones throughout Asia. The “digital divide” as measured by internet access is still wide. In eight economies, 50% or more of the population have internet access, but the rate is less than 20% in the majority of countries.
Read the commentary for Goal 8
- Table 8.1 Target 8.D: Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term [ XLS: 85 kb ]
- Table 8.2 Target 8.F: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications [ XLS: 45 kb ]
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