Help for the poor and hungry – Millennium Development Goals

We live in a world of great extremes. While some of us who live in "the West" enjoy a relatively good life with adequate housing, water, food, employment etc. there are many other children of God who don't. In 2005, 1.4 billion people (out of 6.5 billion) lived on US$1.25 or less a day. 10 million die every year of hunger and hunger-related diseases.

Since 1970 the United Nations has been concerned about the growing division between the developing nations and the nations with wealth. Many programs have been attempted through the years, some successful, but other as failures due to lack of understanding of the local environments, greed of country leaders, etc. In 2000 The UN drew up the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)from the actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by 189 nations-and signed by 147 heads of state and governments during the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000.

The eight MDGs break down into 21 quantifiable targets that are measured by 60 indicators.

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: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

All of this by 2015.

When the 189 nations approved the MDG’s in September 2000 they agreed to use 0.7% of their GNP for MDG actions in the countries affected. Several countries (Norway, Sweden, and a few others) have exceeded their 0.7% commitment. The US gives the largest amount of money, but well below our 0.7% commitment.

Why are the MDG’s important to us? Because those who are suffering from lack of food, clean drinking water, education, medicine, etc. are also children of God. They are our brothers and sisters. In our baptismal vows we agree to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.” There is not much dignity when you are hungry and starving. When you watch your child under 5 die in your arms due to starvation. There is a great injustice when there is inequality in education due to the fact that you are a girl, or when common drugs that are available to us in the US that could save lives are not available in sub-Saharan Africa.

In future posts I will give more detail on each goal and how much progress we have made (we are already passed the ½ way point to 2015). I’ll give you an update on what the Episcopal Church is doing and the Diocese of Southwest Florida. Then I make some suggestions on what we, as the congregation of Holy Innocents, and as individuals can do.

Deacon Gary