| The Millennium Declaration was adopted in September | | | | children die annually due to curable diseases such as |
| 2000 at the Millennium Summit, signed by 191 | | | | diarrhea and malaria, the phenomenon can be avoided |
| countries, and it set the Millennium UN Development | | | | through better nutrition and appropriate medical |
| Goals. The millennium Declaration is the only global | | | | treatment. The UN Development Goals include |
| development agenda over which there is agreement | | | | reducing by two thirds the mortality rate among |
| at the highest level among the majority of the world | | | | children less than five years. |
| states. At the Millennium Summit, the Member States | | | | 5. Improve the maternal health |
| have set eight key targets, known as the UN | | | | More than 500,000 women die annually as a result of |
| Development Goals, with specific targets to achieve | | | | treatable complications arising from pregnancy or |
| by 2015. | | | | childbirth. On long-term, the UN development goals will |
| 1. Reduce the severe poverty in the world | | | | succeed a real progress that will depend on |
| Globally, over one billion people live on less than a | | | | improvements in other areas, such as women's |
| dollar a day. Malnutrition is the main cause of death | | | | status, malnutrition and better education. |
| among children. For these reasons, dual commitment | | | | 6. Combating the HIV / AIDS, malaria and other |
| is to halve by 2015 the number of people whose | | | | diseases |
| income is less than a dollar a day and people who | | | | The spread of HIV / AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis |
| suffer from hunger. Extreme poverty declined from | | | | devastating effects in poor countries, is registered an |
| almost one third of world population in 1990 to fifth in | | | | annual increase of diseases, especially HIV / AIDS. |
| 2004. | | | | The number of people dying from HIV / AIDS |
| 2. Achieve the universal primary education | | | | increased in 2006 to 2.9 million while the number of |
| Over one hundred million children worldwide have no | | | | people living with HIV / AIDS increased from 36.9 |
| access to education, particularly those from less | | | | million in 2004 to 39,500,000 in 2006. |
| developed countries. The lack of access to education | | | | 7. Ensure the environmental sustainability |
| reduces their chances and opportunities and hampers | | | | The poor have limited access to water and clean air |
| efforts to combat poverty. The UN development | | | | and these are essential for health. Meanwhile, the |
| goals fight to make education possible to everybody. | | | | poor people are the most affected from climate |
| 3. Promote the gender equality and give power to | | | | change and environmental degradation is dependent |
| women | | | | on natural resources such as timber, agricultural crops, |
| Many girls and women from less developed countries | | | | fuel and minerals. For developing countries, rational |
| face difficulties in accessing the education system or | | | | use of natural resources is essential for sustainable |
| to find a job. In these circumstances, women are | | | | development. |
| unable to secure the future and contribute to | | | | 8. Creating several global partnerships for |
| economy. Despite progress in recent years the | | | | development |
| number of girls who are not included in the | | | | A prerequisite to prosperity in developing countries is |
| educational system (about 60 million) is higher than | | | | their participation in international trade. At the same |
| boys (approximately 45 million). | | | | time, it requires a greater involvement of developing |
| 4. Reduce the child mortality | | | | countries to reduce poverty, and the deletion or |
| In the less developed countries, nearly 11 million | | | | phasing external debt. |