The Millennium Development Goals Report
U N I T E D N AT I O N S
2007
This report is based on a master set of data that has been compiled by an Inter-Agency and
Expert Group on MDG Indicators led by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs
of the United Nations Secretariat, in response to the wishes of the General Assembly for
periodic assessment of progress towards the MDGs. The Group comprises representatives
of the international organizations whose activities include the preparation of one or more
of the series of statistical indicators that were identified as appropriate for monitoring
progress towards the MDGs, as reflected in the list below. A number of national
statisticians and outside expert advisers also contributed.
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
THE WORLD BANK
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR WESTERN ASIA
JOINT UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMME ON HIV/AIDS
UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND
UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR WOMEN
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME
UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PROGRAMME
UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND
INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION
ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
The Millennium
Development Goals
Report 2007
U N I T E D N AT I O N S
N E W YO R K , 2007

Foreword
Since their adoption by all United Nations Member
States in 2000, the Millennium Declaration and
the Millennium Development Goals have become a
universal framework for development and a means
for developing countries and their development
partners to work together in pursuit of a shared
future for all.
We are now at the midpoint between the adoption
of the MDGs and the 2015 target date. So far, our
collective record is mixed. The results presented in
this report suggest that there have been some gains,
and that success is still possible in most parts of the
world. But they also point to how much remains to
be done. There is a clear need for political leaders to
take urgent and concerted action, or many millions
of people will not realize the basic promises of the
MDGs in their lives.
The MDGs are still achievable if we act now. This
will require inclusive sound governance, increased
public investment economic growth, enhanced
productive capacity, and the creation of decent
work. Success in some countries demonstrates
that rapid and large-scale progress towards the
MDGs is feasible if we combine strong government
leadership, good policies and practical strategies
for scaling up public investments in vital areas with
adequate financial and technical support from the
international community.
To achieve the Goals, nationally-owned development
strategies and budgets must be aligned with them.
This must be backed up by adequate financing
within the global partnership for development and
its framework for mutual accountability.
The world wants no new promises. It is imperative
that all stakeholders meet, in their entirety, the
commitments already made in the Millennium
Declaration, the 2002 Monterrey Conference on
Financing for Development, and the 2005 World
Summit. In particular, the lack of any significant
increase in official development assistance since
2004 makes it impossible, even for well-governed
countries, to meet the MDGs. As this report makes
clear, adequate resources need to be made available
to countries in a predictable way for them to be able
to effectively plan the scaling up of their investments.
Yet, these promises remain to be fulfilled.
I commend this report as a key resource to help
show what can be achieved and how much still needs
to be done. Reliable and timely information is key to
formulating the necessary policies and strategies to
ensure progress, monitor development and make the
MDGs achievable.
Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General, United Nations
4 5
Progress at the MDG mid-point
The Millennium Declaration set 2015 as the target date for
achieving most of the Goals. As we approach the midway
point of this 15-year period, data are now becoming
available that provide an indication of progress during the
first third of this 15-year period.
This report presents the most comprehensive global
assessment of progress to date, based on a set of data
prepared by a large number of international organizations
within and outside the United Nations system.
The results are, predictably, uneven. The years since 2000,
when world leaders endorsed the Millennium Declaration,
have seen some visible and widespread gains. Encouragingly,
the report suggests that some progress is being made even
in those regions where the challenges are greatest. These
accomplishments testify to the unprecedented degree of
commitment by developing countries and their development
partners to the Millennium Declaration and to some
success in building the global partnership embodied in the
Declaration.
The results achieved in the more successful cases demonstrate
that success is possible in most countries, but that the MDGs
will be attained only if concerted additional action is taken
immediately and sustained until 2015. All stakeholders need
to fulfil, in their entirety, the commitments they made in the
Millennium Declaration and subsequent pronouncements.
The following are some measures of the progress that has
been achieved:
* The proportion of people living in extreme poverty fell
from nearly a third to less than one fifth between 1990 and
2004. If the trend is sustained, the MDG poverty reduction
target will be met for the world as a whole and for most
regions.
* The number of extremely poor people in sub-Saharan
Africa has levelled off, and the poverty rate has declined by
nearly six percentage points since 2000. Nevertheless, the
region is not on track to reach the Goal of reducing poverty
by half by 2015.
* Progress has been made in getting more children into
school in the developing world. Enrolment in primary
education grew from 80 per cent in 1991 to 88 per cent in
2005. Most of this progress has taken place since 1999.
* Women's political participation has been growing, albeit
slowly. Even in countries where previously only men were
allowed to stand for political election, women now have a
seat in parliament.
* Child mortality has declined globally, and it is becoming
clear that the right life-saving interventions are proving
effective in reducing the number of deaths due to the main
child killers ­ such as measles.
* Key interventions to control malaria have been expanded.
* The tuberculosis epidemic, finally, appears on the verge
of decline, although progress is not fast enough to halve
prevalence and death rates by 2015.
By pointing to what has been achieved, these results also
highlight how much remains to be done and how much more
could be accomplished if all concerned live up fully to the
commitments they have already made. Currently, only one
of the eight regional groups cited in this report is on track to
achieve all the Millennium Development Goals. In contrast,
the projected shortfalls are most severe in sub-Saharan
Africa. Even regions that have made substantial progress,
including parts of Asia, face challenges in areas such as
health and environmental sustainability. More generally,
the lack of employment opportunities for young people,
gender inequalities, rapid and unplanned urbanization,
deforestation, increasing water scarcity, and high HIV
prevalence are pervasive obstacles.
Moreover, insecurity and instability in conflict and postconflict
countries make long-term development efforts
extremely difficult. In turn, a failure to achieve the MDGs
can further heighten the risk of instability and conflict. Yet in
spite of a technical consensus that development and security
are mutually dependent, international efforts all too often
treat them as independent from one another.
The following are some of the key challenges that have to be
addressed:
* Over half a million women still die each year from treatable
and preventable complications of pregnancy and childbirth.
The odds that a woman will die from these causes in subSaharan
Africa are 1 in 16 over the course of her lifetime,
compared to 1 in 3,800 in the developed world.
* If current trends continue, the target of halving the
proportion of underweight children will be missed by
30 million children, largely because of slow progress in
Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
* The number of people dying from AIDS worldwide
increased to 2.9 million in 2006, and prevention measures
are failing to keep pace with the growth of the epidemic. In
2005, more than 15 million children had lost one or both
parents to AIDS.
* Half the population of the developing world lack basic
sanitation. In order to meet the MDG target, an additional
1.6 billion people will need access to improved sanitation
over the period 2005-2015. If trends since 1990 continue,
the world is likely to miss the target by almost 600 million
people.
* To some extent, these situations reflect the fact that the
benefits of economic growth in the developing world have
been unequally shared. Widening income inequality is
of particular concern in Eastern Asia, where the share of
consumption of the poorest people declined dramatically
between 1990 and 2004.
* Most economies have failed to provide employment
opportunities to their youth, with young people more than
three times as likely as adults to be unemployed.
* Warming of the climate is now unequivocal. Emissions of
carbon dioxide, the primary contributor to global climate
change, rose from 23 billion metric tons in 1990 to 29
billion metric tons in 2004. Climate change is projected
to have serious economic and social impacts, which will
impede progress towards the MDGs.
This report also points to disparities within countries,
where particular groups of the population ­ often those
living in rural areas, children of mothers with no formal
education and the poorest households ­ are not making
enough progress to meet the targets, even where the rest of
the population is. This is particularly evident in access to
health services and education. In order to achieve the MDGs,
countries will need to mobilize additional resources and
target public investments that benefit the poor.
Rapid and large-scale progress is
feasible
Several developing countries are demonstrating that rapid
and large-scale progress towards the MDGs is possible when
strong government leadership and policies and strategies
that effectively target the needs of the poor are combined
with adequate financial and technical support from the
international community.
In particular, impressive results have been achieved in
sub-Saharan Africa in areas such as raising agricultural
productivity (in Malawi, for example), boosting primary
school enrolment (as in Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and the
United Republic of Tanzania), controlling malaria (as in
Niger, Togo, Zambia, Zanzibar), widening access to basic
rural health services (Zambia), reforesting areas on a large
scale (Niger), and increasing access to water and sanitation
(Senegal and Uganda). These practical successes now need to
be replicated and scaled-up.
With support from the United Nations, many developing
countries ­ particularly in Africa ­ have advanced in
preparing strategies to achieve the MDGs. As of mid-2007,
41 countries in sub-Saharan Africa had started the process of
preparing national development strategies aligned with the
MDGs and other development goals agreed upon through the
United Nations. During this mid-point year, the international
community needs to support the preparation of these
strategies and to accelerate implementation of the MDGs.
In general, strategies should adopt a wide-ranging approach
that seeks to achieve pro-poor economic growth, including
through the creation of a large number of additional
opportunities for decent work. This, in turn, will require
comprehensive programmes for human development,
particularly in education and health, as well as building
productive capacity and improved physical infrastructure. In
each case, an effort should be made to quantify the resources
required to implement these programmes. Implementation
should be based on a medium-term approach to public
expenditure. A sound national statistical system and
enhanced public accountability are necessary to support all
these efforts.
The MDGs should also be systematically integrated into
post-conflict recovery strategies by coordinating security and
humanitarian operations with long-term development efforts.
The MDGs provide outcome objectives that countries can use
as benchmarks for the transition from relief and recovery to
long-term development.
Success in achieving the MDGs in the poorest and most
disadvantaged countries cannot be achieved by these
countries alone. Developed countries need to deliver
fully on longstanding commitments to achieve the official
development assistance (ODA) target of 0.7 per cent of gross
national income (GNI) by 2015. It requires, in particular, the
Group of 8 industrialized nations to live up to their 2005
pledge to double aid to Africa by 2010 and European Union
Member States to allocate 0.7 per cent of GNI to ODA by
2015. In spite of these commitments, ODA declined between
2005 and 2006 and is expected to continue to fall slightly in
2007 as debt relief declines.
Aid has to be improved by ensuring that assistance is aligned
with the policies that recipient countries have adopted, and
that flows to individual countries are continuous, predictable
and assured and are not tied to purchases in the donor
country. To this end, donors should reduce the present
unpredictability of aid by providing multi-year schedules of
aid flows to each recipient country. One of the uses of the
additional resources should be to multiply, within and across
countries, the number of "quick impact" initiatives that have
proven their efficacy in the past few years.
As a further element of their development partnership, and as
agreed to in Doha in 2001, all governments should redouble
their efforts to reach a successful and equitable conclusion
to the present trade negotiations ­ an outcome that ensures
that the international trading system and global trading
arrangements become more conducive to development in all
developing countries.
Addressing the challenge of climate change has to be a
new but integral element of each country's development
strategy. More importantly, however, it should become an
enhanced part of the international development agenda:
All development partners should collaborate intensively
in devising a shared global strategy to address this global
problem.
Overview
JOSÉ ANTONIO OCAMPO
Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs
 
TARGET
Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people
whose income is less than $1 a day
Worldwide, the number of people in developing countries living on less than
$1 a day fell to 980 million in 200 ­ down from 1.2 billion in 1990. The
Extreme poverty is beginning to fall in
sub-Saharan Africa
Proportion of people living on less than $1 a day, 1990, 1999 and 2004
(Percentage)
UNITED NATIONS THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
Goal 1
Eradicate
extreme
poverty
& hunger
proportion of people living in extreme poverty fell from
nearly a third to 19 per cent over this period. If progress
continues, the MDG target will be met. However,
success is unequally shared, since the decline in global
poverty is mostly due to rapid economic growth in
Asia. Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, in particular,
experienced impressive reductions in poverty, and
accelerating growth in India has also put Southern Asia
on track to achieve the goal.
In contrast, poverty rates in Western Asia more than
doubled between 1990 and 200. Extreme poverty
rose sharply in the early 1990s in the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) and the transition countries
of South-Eastern Europe. Poverty rates in those regions
are now dropping, however, and approaching the levels
of the 1980s.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the proportion of people living in
extreme poverty fell from .8 per cent in 1990 to 1.1
per cent in 200. Most of this progress was achieved
since 2000. The number of people living on less than
$1 a day is also beginning to level off, despite rapid
population growth. The per capita income of seven subSaharan
countries grew by more than . per cent a
year between 2000 and 200; another 2 had growth
rates of more than 2 per cent a year over this period,
providing a degree of optimism for the future.
The international poverty line is
being redrawn
The latest estimates on poverty draw on over 00
household surveys from 100 developing countries,
representing 9 per cent of the population of the
developing world. The international poverty line is
based on a level of consumption representative of
the poverty lines found in low-income countries.
Since 2000, the international poverty line has
been set at $1.08 a day, measured in terms of 199
purchasing power parity (PPP). In the coming year,
new estimates of PPP, based on 200 prices, will
be produced by the International Comparison
Program. These new measures of the relative cost
of living among countries will require a revision to
the international poverty line and may change our
understanding of the extent and distribution of global
poverty.
The poorest are getting a little less poor in
most regions
In most developing regions, the average income of those living on less than
$1 a day has increased. The poverty gap ratio, which reflects the depth
of poverty as well as its incidence, has decreased in all regions except
Western Asia, where the rising poverty rate has caused the poverty gap
to increase, and in the transition countries in Europe and the CIS, where
there has been marginal deterioration or no change. In contrast, the poor
in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia have made important gains. In spite of
some improvement, the poverty gap ratio in sub-Saharan Africa remains
the highest in the world, indicating that the poor in that region are the most
economically disadvantaged in the world.
Poverty gap ratio, 1990 and 2004 (Percentage)
0 40302010 50
23.4
31.6
19.2
5.5
0.5
0.6
1.3
0.7
2.6
1.4
2.5
1.6
3.8
8.9
20.8
6.8
9.6
10.3
8.7
17.8
33.0
9.9
33.4
41.1
29.5
45.9
46.8
41.1
Southern Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
CIS
South-Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Northern Africa
Latin America & the Caribbean
Developing regions
Eastern Asia
Transition countries of South-Eastern Europe
1990
1999
2004
2.0
<0.1
0 15.010.05.0 20.0
Sub-Saharan Africa
CIS
South-Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Northern Africa
Latin America & the Caribbean
Developing regions
19.5
17.5
11.0
6.7
3.0
3.5
2.1
8.9
1.5
5.1
0.9
Eastern Asia
0.4
0.2
0.0
0.2
Transition countries of South-Eastern Europe
0.5
0.1
9.3
0.1
5.4
1990
2004
Southern Asia
8 9
Globally, the proportion of children under five who are underweight
declined by one fifth over the period 1990-200. Eastern Asia showed the
greatest improvement and is surpassing the MDG target, largely due to
nutritional advances in China. Western Asia and Latin America and the
Caribbean have also demonstrated significant progress, with underweight
prevalence dropping by more than one third. The greatest proportions of
children going hungry continue to be found in Southern Asia and subSaharan
Africa. Poor progress in these regions means that it is unlikely that
the global target will be met. If current trends continue, the world will miss
the 201 target by 0 million children, essentially robbing them of their full
potential.
TARGET
Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of
people who suffer from hunger.
Child hunger is declining in all regions, but
meeting the target will require accelerated
progress
Proportion of children under age five who are underweight, 1990 and 2005
(Percentage)
Poverty reduction has been
accompanied by rising inequality
The benefits of economic growth in the developing
world have been unequally shared, both within and
among countries. Between 1990 and 200, the share
of national consumption by the poorest fifth of the
population in developing regions decreased from
. to .9 per cent (in countries where consumption
figures were unavailable, data on income were used).
Widening income inequality is of particular concern in
Eastern Asia, where the share of consumption among
the poorest people declined dramatically during this
period. Still, inequality remains the highest in Latin
America and the Caribbean and in sub-Saharan Africa,
where the poorest fifth of the people account for only
about  per cent of national consumption (or income).
Share of poorest quintile in national consumption,
1990 and 2004 (Percentage)
UNITED NATIONS
0.0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Southern Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
South-Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Northern Africa
Latin America & the Caribbean
Developing regions
46
53
29
33
28
39
8
Eastern Asia
10
7
11
7
11
7
33
19
27
1990
2005
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0
2.8
2.7
3.4
3.4
4.5
7.1
5.4
5.9
6.1
6.2
6.2
7.9
6.3
6.2
6.7
7.2
7.8
4.6
8.3
3.9
1990
2004
Southern Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
CIS
South-Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Northern Africa
Latin America & the Caribbean
Developing regions
Eastern Asia
Transition countries of South-Eastern Europe
10 11
When many children entering school are under or over the official age for
enrolment, the net enrolment ratios for primary school do not accurately
reflect the situation of children in school. Surveys indicate that attendance
by over-age children is very common, especially in some regions. In subSaharan
Africa, for example, more children of secondary school age are
attending primary school than secondary school. Though late enrolment is
better than not enrolling at all, it represents a challenge for the education
system and reflects the difficulties families face in sending their children
to school. Late enrolment also puts children at a disadvantage by causing
potential learning problems and lessening opportunities to advance to a
higher level of education. Where the information is available, data show
that children who start school at least two years later than the official age
are more likely to be from poorer households and have mothers with no
formal education.
TARGET
Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls
alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary
schooling
Sub-Saharan Africa is making progress towards
universal enrolment, but has a long way to go
Total net enrolment ratio in primary education,* 1990/1991, 1998/1999 and
2004/2005 (Percentage)
UNITED NATIONS
Goal 2
Achieve
universal
primary
education
The net enrolment ratio in primary education in
the developing regions increased to 88 per cent in
the school year 200/200, up from 80 per cent
in 1990/1991. Two thirds of the increase occurred
since 1999. Although sub-Saharan Africa has made
significant progress over the last few years, it still trails
behind other regions, with 0 per cent of its children of
primary school age out of school. A strong push will be
needed over the next few years to enrol all children in
school and to fulfil their right to a quality education.
Girls and children from poorer
or rural families are least likely to
attend school
Children of primary school age out of school, by
sex, place of residence and household wealth, 2005
(Percentage)
Progress has been made in reducing the number of
children out of school. Still, the number is unacceptably
high. Based on enrolment data, about 2 million
children of primary school age were not in school in
200;  per cent of them were girls. As high as this
number seems, surveys show that it underestimates
the actual number of children who, though enrolled, are
not attending school. Moreover, neither enrolment nor
attendance figures reflect children who do not attend
school regularly. To make matters worse, official data
are not usually available from countries in conflict or
post-conflict situations. If data from these countries
were reflected in global estimates, the enrolment
picture would be even less optimistic.
The children most likely to drop out of school or to not
attend at all are those from poorer households or living
in rural areas. For example, nearly a third of children of
One child in five who is old enough to attend
secondary school is still enrolled in primary
school
Net school attendance in primary school by children of official age and
by children of secondary school age in all developing regions, 2005
(Percentage)
*Number of pupils of the theoretical school-age group for primary education, enrolled either in primary or
secondary education, expressed as a percentage of the total population in that age group.
primary school age in rural areas of the developing world are out of school,
compared with 18 per cent of children in the same age group living in cities.
Girls are still excluded from education more often than boys, a pattern that
is particularly evident in Western and Southern Asia.
THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
0 20 40 60 80 100
CIS, Europe
Western Asia
Oceania
Sub-Saharan Africa
Southern Asia
South-Eastern Asia
Eastern Asia
Northern Africa
Developing regions
CIS, Asia
83
80
88
90
82
95
Latin America & the Caribbean
94
87
97
99
99
95
93
89
94
92
94
94
81
74
90
83
91
90
85
81
86
81
75
78
57
54
70
1991
1999
2005
Boys Girls Urban Rural Richest
20%
Fourth Third Second Poorest
20%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
17
20
18
31
12
20
25
31
37
83
80
21
17
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Boys
Girls
Children of primary school age
attending primary school
Children of secondary school age
attending primary school
12 1
TARGET
Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary
education preferably by 2005 and in all levels of education
no later than 2015
Women's participation in paid, non-agricultural employment has continued
to increase slowly. The greatest gains are in some of the regions where
women have the least presence in the labour market ­ in Southern
Asia, Western Asia and Oceania. In Northern Africa, where women's
participation is also low, progress has been insignificant. Only one in five
paid employees in that region is a woman, a situation that has remained
unchanged for the last 1 years. In other regions, women are slowly gaining
access to paid employment at a level on par with men, or, in the case of the
CIS, exceeding it.
Doors are opening slowly for women in the
labour market
Employees in non-agricultural wage employment who are women, 1990
and 2005 (Percentage)
UNITED NATIONS
Women's labour is more likely than men's to be unpaid
Share of women in total employment by job status,
1990-2005 (Percentage)
Wage employment in most of Africa and in many
parts of Asia and Latin America is concentrated
in urban areas. Outside cities and towns, most
employment is in agriculture, and mainly for
family subsistence. Women in developing regions
are more likely than men to work in agriculture,
and as contributing but unpaid family workers.
Worldwide, over 0 per cent of unpaid family
workers are women ­ meaning that women
continue to lack access to job security and social
protection.
Goal 3
Promote
gender equality
and empower
women
Women gain ground politically, though men still wield control
Share of women in single or lower houses of
parliament, 1990 and 2007 (Percentage)
Women's political participation is growing, albeit slowly. Globally, as of
January 200, women represented 1 per cent of single and lower houses
of parliament, up from 1 per cent in 1990. However, women represented
at least 0 per cent of parliamentarians in only 19 countries. Rwanda is still
leading the way, and is close to parity with 9 per cent of parliamentary
seats occupied by women, followed by Sweden and Costa Rica, where
women's representation is  and 9 per cent, respectively. At the other
end of the spectrum, women lawmakers are absent altogether in some
countries. In 200 elections in the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, no women
were elected to the lower houses of parliament.
Encouraging signs, however, are coming from the Arab States. In 200,
for the first time, both women and men ran for election in Kuwait, where
women obtained 2 parliamentary seats, and in the United Arab Emirates,
where they won 2 per cent of seats. In Bahrain, a woman was elected to
the lower house of parliament for the first time in that nation's history.
Worldwide, women's entry into political leadership positions is also
widening. As of March 200,  women were presiding officers in
parliament ­ more than ever before ­ including, for the first time, in Gambia,
Israel, Swaziland, Turkmenistan and the United States. In contrast, there is
no clear positive trend in the number of women in the highest positions of
state or government. Thirteen women were heads of state or government in
200, compared to 9 in 2000 and 12 in 199. A record number of women
took up these top positions in 200 ­ six in all ­ in Chile, Jamaica, Liberia,
the Republic of Korea and Switzerland, and as acting president in Israel.
A number of factors are at play in determining women's political
representation ­ including political will, the strength of national women's
movements and continued emphasis by the international community on
gender equality and women's empowerment. However, the most decisive
factor remains gender quota systems. In 200, countries with quotas nearly
doubled the number of women elected, compared to countries without any
form of gender quota system. Other countries have supported women's
election bids through training and funding.
THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
1000 20 40 60 80
sContributing unpaid family worker
Employers
Employees
Total employment
Women Men
41 59
40 60
22 78
60 40
*Data for 1990 are not available for the CIS.
0 50 6040302010
Southern Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
CIS
Developed regions
South-Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Oceania
Northern Africa
Latin America & the Caribbean
World
13
18
20
20
16
21
32
28
38
28
39
38
41
Eastern Asia
38
42
37
47
44
51
36
49
39
1990
2005
0 15 20 25105
Southern Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
CIS
Developed regions
South-Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Oceania
Northern Africa
Latin America & the Caribbean
World
1
3
5
8
3
8
12
13
6
17
7
17
Eastern Asia
10
19
20
20
12
22
13
16
17
1990
2007
*
1 1
TARGET
Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the
under-five mortality rate
Estimates for 200 indicate that 10.1 million children died before their fifth
birthday, mostly from preventable causes. Though infant and child mortality
rates have declined globally, the pace of progress has been uneven across
regions and countries. Accelerated improvements are needed most urgently
in sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Asia, CIS countries in Asia and in Oceania.
Not surprisingly, the lack of progress in child survival has been mirrored by
neglect of many basic health services in parts of the developing world.
Child survival rates show slow improvement,
and are worst in sub-Saharan Africa
Under-five mortality rate per 1,000 live births, 1990 and 2005
UNITED NATIONS
Goal 4
Reduce child
mortality
Vaccinations spur decline in measles and expansion of basic health services
Measles is one of the leading causes of child death among diseases that can
be prevented by vaccines. Globally, deaths from measles fell by over 0 per
cent between 2000 and 200 ­ a major public health success. According
to the latest data available, the number of these deaths dropped from
8,000 in 1999 to ,000 in 200. The most striking gains were found
in Africa, where measles deaths decreased by nearly  per cent over the
same period ­ from an estimated 0,000 to 12,000.
These achievements are attributed to improved immunization coverage
throughout the developing world, as well as immunization campaigns that
supplement routine services. While coverage stagnated between 1990 and
1999, immunization has rapidly gained ground since 2000. In sub-Saharan
Africa, coverage dipped to 9 per cent in 1999 and increased again to 
per cent by the end of 200. This was largely the result of advocacy and
support provided by the international Measles Initiative ­ which targeted
 priority countries ­ together with the commitment of the African
governments involved.
Routine measles immunization serves as a proxy indicator for access to
basic health services among children under five. Accelerated activities to
control measles are contributing to the development of health infrastructure
that supports routine immunization and other health services. Moreover,
measles vaccination campaigns have become a channel for delivering other
life-saving interventions, such as mosquito nets to protect against malaria,
de-worming medicine and vitamin A supplements.
Recent surveys show that substantial improvements are possible, though disparities were found in the countries
studied. Even in countries that have made good progress (i.e., that have seen a drop of at least 1 per cent in child
mortality rates between 1998 and 200), different patterns are observed. Survival rates have improved at all ages
within the five-year span, but in some countries gains were most pronounced during certain periods ­ for example,
in the vulnerable first month of life. Evidence from the latest surveys will be further studied to determine the key
interventions necessary to reduce mortality during the various stages of a chilďs early life.
Changes in the levels of child mortality also show wide differentials according to socio-economic status. In most
countries that have made substantial reductions in child mortality in recent years, the largest changes were
observed among children living in the richest 0 per cent of households, or in urban areas, or whose mothers have
some education.
In countries where progress is lagging or where child mortality has increased, AIDS is likely to be a major
contributing factor. Malaria, too, continues to kill vast numbers of children. In other countries, war and conflict
have been the leading causes of increasing child mortality in the recent past.
THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
Percentage of children 12-23 months old who received
at least one dose of measles vaccine, 1990 and 2005
(Percentage)
0 50 100 150 200
Southern Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
CIS, Asia
South-Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Oceania
Northern Africa
Latin America & the Caribbean
Developing regions
185
166
126
82
81
72
80
63
55
68
41
78
35
88
31
Eastern Asia
54
27
CIS, Europe
48
17
Transition countries of South-Eastern Europe
27
17
106
29
83
1990
2005
0 50 9080706040302010 100
Southern Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
CIS
South-Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Oceania
Northern Africa
Latin America & the Caribbean
Developing regions
70
63
57
64
57
65
80
72
87
98
91
80
92
Eastern Asia
76
95
85
96
Transition countries of South-Eastern Europe
93
98
71
85
75
1990
2005
1 1
Half a million women continue to die each
year during pregnancy or childbirth, almost
all of them in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia
UNITED NATIONS
Goal 5
Improve
maternal
health A number of middle-income countries have made rapid progress in
reducing maternal deaths. Nevertheless, maternal mortality levels remain
unacceptably high across the developing world, particularly in sub-Saharan
Africa and Southern Asia. Each year, more than 00,000 women die from
treatable or preventable complications of pregnancy and childbirth. In
sub-Saharan Africa, a woman's risk of dying from such complications over
the course of her lifetime is 1 in 1, compared to 1 in ,800 in the developed
world.
Health-care interventions can reduce maternal
deaths, but need to be made more widely
available
Proportion of deliveries attended by skilled health care personnel, 1990
and 2005 (Percentage)
Efforts to reduce maternal mortality need to be tailored to local conditions,
since the causes of death vary across developing regions and countries.
In Africa and Asia, haemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death,
while in Latin America and the Caribbean, hypertensive disorders during
pregnancy and childbirth pose the greatest threat. Obstructed labour and
abortion account for 1 and 12 per cent, respectively, of maternal mortality
in Latin America and the Caribbean. In Asia, anaemia is a major contributor
to maternal deaths, but is a less important cause in Africa and a negligible
factor in Latin America. In Africa, particularly parts of Southern Africa, HIV
and AIDS are frequently involved in deaths during pregnancy and childbirth.
Preventing unplanned pregnancies alone could avert around one quarter of
maternal deaths, including those that result from unsafe abortion. Still, an
estimated 1 million women have an unmet need for family planning. An
additional  million women are using traditional methods of contraception
with high failure rates. Contraceptive prevalence increased slowly from
 per cent in 1990 to  per cent in 200, but remains very low in subSaharan
Africa, at 21 per cent.
In addition, in regions where the adolescent birth rate remains high, a large
number of young women, particularly very young women, and their children
face increased risk of death and disability. In sub-Saharan Africa, Southern
Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, the high adolescent birth
rates prevailing in 1990 have not declined significantly, despite continued
reductions in total fertility in those regions.
No single intervention can address the
multiple causes of maternal deaths
TARGET
Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the
maternal mortality ratio
The vast majority of maternal deaths and disabilities
could be prevented through appropriate reproductive
health services before, during and after pregnancy, and
through life-saving interventions should complications
arise. Attendance at delivery by skilled health personnel
(doctors, nurses, midwives) who are trained to detect
problems early and can effectively provide or refer
women to emergency obstetric care when needed is
essential. The regions with the lowest proportions of
skilled health attendants at birth are Southern Asia
and sub-Saharan Africa, which also have the highest
numbers of maternal deaths.
Disparities in the support available to women during
pregnancy and childbirth are evident both among
countries and within them. According to surveys
conducted between 199 and 200 in  developing
countries, 81 per cent of urban women deliver with
the help of a skilled attendant, versus only 9 per
cent of their rural counterparts. Similarly, 8 per cent
of women who have completed secondary or higher
education are attended by skilled personnel during
childbirth, more than twice the rate of mothers with no
formal education.
Antenatal care has long been recognized as a core
component of maternal health services. It can help
women identify potential risks and plan for a safe
delivery. It also can serve as an entry point into the
wider health-care system. Since 1990, every region
has made progress in ensuring that women receive
antenatal care at least once during their pregnancy.
Even in sub-Saharan Africa, where the least progress
has occurred, more than two thirds of women receive
antenatal care at least one time during pregnancy.
For antenatal care to be effective, international
experts recommend at least four visits to a trained
health-care practitioner during pregnancy. However, in
many countries, particularly in Africa, there is a large
gap between the proportion of women who receive
antenatal care at least once compared to those who
receive care four or more times. In Kenya, for example,
in 200, 8 per cent of women received antenatal
care at least once, while only 1 per cent received care
the recommended four times. Similarly, women in
Madagascar were twice as likely to receive antenatal
care at least once rather than four or more times.
Causes of maternal deaths, 1997-2002 (Percentage)
*Other causes include: ectopic pregnancy, embolism, other direct, indirect or unclassified causes.
THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 908070 100 110
Sub-Saharan Africa
Southern Asia
Western Asia
Eastern Asia
Northern Africa
South-Eastern Asia
Latin America & the Caribbean
CIS
Developing regions
30
38
42
45
60
66
38
68
40
75
51
83
72
89
98
43
57
1990
2005
99
Africa Asia
Haemorrhage
Hypertensive disorders
Obstructed labour
Anaemia
Abortion
Other causes*
34
9
16
25
31
9
12
9
13
6
15
21
26
8
13
0
12
9
4 4 4
Latin America & the Caribbean
Sepsis/infections, including HIV
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
18 19
By the end of 200, an estimated 9. million people worldwide were living
with HIV (up from 2.9 million in 2001), mostly in sub-Saharan Africa.
Globally, . million people were newly infected with the virus in 200, with
Eastern Asia and the CIS showing the fastest rates of infection. The number
of people dying from AIDS has also increased ­ from 2.2 million in 2001 to
2.9 million in 200.
The use of non-sterile injecting drug equipment remains the main mode of
HIV transmission in CIS countries. Recently, injecting drug use has emerged
as a new factor for HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in
Mauritius, but also in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and the United Republic
of Tanzania. In Southern and South-Eastern Asia, people are most often
infected through unprotected sex with sex workers. Over the past two
years, HIV outbreaks among men who have sex with men have also become
evident in Asia ­ in Cambodia, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand and
Viet Nam.
UNITED NATIONS
Goal 6
Combat
HIV/AIDS,
malaria &
other diseases
HIV prevalence has levelled off in the
developing world, but deaths from AIDS
continue to rise in sub-Saharan Africa
HIV prevalence in adults aged 15-49 in sub-Saharan Africa and all
developing regions (Percentage) and number of AIDS deaths in subSaharan
Africa (Millions), 1990-2006
TARGET
Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread
of HIV/AIDS
In hardest hit areas, more than
half of those living with HIV are
women
Though access to AIDS treatment has
expanded, the need continues to grow
Population living with HIV in need of treatment who are receiving
antiretroviral therapy, 2006 (Percentage)
Efforts to provide treatment for those living with HIV and AIDS continue
to expand. As of December 200, an estimated 2 million people were
receiving antiretroviral therapy in developing regions. This represents 28 per
cent of the estimated .1 million people in need. Though sub-Saharan Africa
is home to the vast majority of people worldwide living with HIV ( per
cent), only about one in four of the estimated .8 million people there who
could benefit from antiretroviral therapy are receiving it.
The magnitude of the problem is growing: Though 00,000 people received
treatment for the first time in 200, an estimated . million people
were newly infected that year, highlighting the urgent need to intensify
prevention efforts. If current trends continue, the number of people with
advanced HIV infection in need of therapy will rise faster than treatment
services can be scaled up.
*Data for 1990 and 2002 are not available because the epidemic in this region
is recent.
THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
Power imbalances between men and women continue to drive the
"feminization" of the HIV epidemic, though the dynamics are changing.
Increasing numbers of married women are becoming infected, along with
girls and young women. In 200, women comprised 8 per cent of people
around the world living with HIV.
Youth also places people of both genders at risk. In 200, 0 per cent of
new infections among people aged 1 and older were in the 1 to 2-year
age group.
AnnualnumberofdeathsduetoAIDS(Millions)
HIVprevalenceinadultsaged15-49(Percentage)
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
1990 1995 2000 2005
0
2
4
6
8
10Annual number of AIDS deaths in sub-Saharan Africa
HIV prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa
HIV prevalence in developing regions
(excluding sub-Saharan Africa)
Share of adults aged 15 years and older living with HIV,
who are women, 1990, 2002 and 2006 (Percentage)
Developing regions
Developed regions
Western Asia
Northern Africa
CIS Asia*
Eastern Asia
Southern Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
Oceania
CIS, Europe
47
50
50
16
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
30
30
16
<0.1
<0.1
20
18
23
22
15
28
27
21
28
30
19
31
33
13
33
32
26
33
58
54
59
55
23
59
25
1990
2002
2006
Latin America & the Caribbean
South-Eastern Asia
28
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
72
49
37
35
28
26
10
10
9
2006
Latin America & the Caribbean
South-Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Northern Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Eastern Asia
Oceania
CIS
Southern Asia
Developing regions
20 21
4
13
1
7
23
2
7
3
15
23
4
22
Prevention measures are failing to
keep pace with the spread of HIV
Slight declines in HIV prevalence among young people
since 2000/2001 were reported in eight of the 11
African countries where sufficient information was
available to assess trends. Improvements were most
evident in Kenya, in urban areas of Côte ďIvoire,
Malawi and Zimbabwe, and in rural parts of Botswana.
In general, however, prevention measures are failing
to keep pace with the growth of the epidemic. In
sub-Saharan Africa, less than a third of young men
and just over a fifth of young women demonstrated a
comprehensive and correct knowledge of HIV. In most
countries, stigma and discrimination against people
living with HIV further discourage many from taking an
HIV test and disclosing their status to sexual partners.
According to recent surveys in a dozen of the worstaffected
countries in Africa, the median percentages
of men and women who had been tested and received
the results were only 12 per cent and 10 per cent,
respectively.
In 200, only 11 per cent of pregnant women in lowand
middle-income countries who were HIV-positive
were receiving services to prevent the transmission of
the virus to their newborns.
Care of orphans is an enormous
social problem, which will only
get worse as more parents die of
AIDS
In 200, an estimated 1.2 million children had lost
one or both parents to AIDS, 80 per cent of them in
sub-Saharan Africa. By 2010, the figure is likely to
rise to more than 20 million. Several countries are
making progress in providing a minimum package
of services for orphans and vulnerable children,
including education, health care, and social welfare
and protection. But far more work is needed to provide
a humane and comprehensive response to this
unprecedented social problem.
Malaria-control efforts are paying off, but
additional effort is needed
Proportion of children sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets in
selected countries, 1999-2006 (Percentage)
TARGET
Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence
of malaria and other major diseases
Key interventions to control malaria have been expanded in recent years,
thanks to increased attention and funding. A number of African countries,
for example, have widened coverage of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs),
which are among the most effective tools available for preventing the
mosquito bites that cause malaria. Preliminary results from household
surveys conducted in 200-200 show that many other countries are
advancing on the bed net front as well, though final results will only be
available later this year. Still, only a few countries came close to the 200
target of 0 per cent coverage set at the African Summit on Roll Back
Malaria in 2000. A strengthened commitment from all concerned is needed
if countries are to reach the revised target of 80 per cent ITN use by 2010.
Countries will also need to ensure that coverage is more equitable. In
sub-Saharan Africa, only  per cent of children under five sleep under
insecticide-treated bed nets. And in rural areas of countries where malaria
is endemic, the burden of malaria is often highest and ITN coverage lowest.
According to the most recent surveys of 0 African countries (conducted
from 2000 to 200), children under five living in urban areas were nearly
2. times as likely to be sleeping under an insecticide-treated net as their
rural counterparts.
To meet the MDG target, the most effective treatment for malaria must
also be made available to those in need. A significant proportion of the
nearly 0 per cent of children with fever in sub-Saharan Africa who received
anti-malarial drugs were treated with chloroquine, which has lost some
of its effectiveness due to widespread resistance. A number of African
countries have shifted their national drug policies to encourage the use of
artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). But
to get these medicines to people who could benefit
from them will require better forecasting of needs and
improved management of procurement and supplychain
processes.
Around $ billion are needed worldwide ­ $2 billion
for Africa alone ­ to fight malaria in countries hardest
hit by the disease. International funding for malaria
control has risen more than tenfold over the past
decade, but the amount available in 200 was still only
around $00 million.
The incidence of tuberculosis
is levelling off globally, but the
number of new cases is still rising
Number of new tuberculosis cases per 100,000
population (excluding people who are HIV-positive),
1990-2005
The incidence of tuberculosis ­ measured by the
number of new cases per 100,000 people ­ has
stabilized or begun to fall in most regions, following
earlier downturns in prevalence and mortality. However,
the total number of new cases was still rising slowly
in 200 due to population growth. An estimated 8.8
million new tuberculosis cases were reported in 200,
. million of which were in sub-Saharan Africa and
the four Asian regions. A total of 1. million people
died of tuberculosis in 200, including 19,000 people
infected with HIV.
While the incidence of tuberculosis increased
dramatically in sub-Saharan Africa and in countries of
the CIS throughout the1990s, it had levelled off in both
regions by 200.
Reaching global targets for tuberculosis
control will require accelerated progress,
especially in sub-Saharan Africa and the CIS
Number of tuberculosis cases per 100,000 population (excluding people
who are HIV-positive), 1990, 2000 and 2005
The global tuberculosis epidemic appears to be on the threshold of decline
as incidence has begun to stabilize. However, progress is not fast enough to
reach additional targets set by the Stop TB Partnership ­ to halve prevalence
and death rates by 201 (from 1990 levels). Based on recent progress, subSaharan
Africa and the CIS are least likely to reach these new targets.
UNITED NATIONS THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
1990 199 2000 200
00
20
200
10
100
0
0
Developed regions
Developing regions (excluding sub-Saharan Africa)
Sub-Saharan Africa
CIS
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Developing regions
Developed regions
Northern Africa
Western Asia
Latin America & the Caribbean
CIS
Eastern Asia
Oceania
Sub-Saharan Africa
Southern-Eastern Asia
Southern Asia
482
331
490
457
590
341
427
531
290
267
319
204
337
485
274
163
83
137
98
156
76
63
92
56
53
59
44
22
31
16
321
367
255
1990
2000
2005
Zambia Rwanda Senegal Malawi Ghana
40
20
15
10
5
0
1999-2000
2002-2004
2005-2006
22 2
UNITED NATIONS
Goal 7
Ensure
environmental
sustainability
Deforestation continues, especially in
biologically diverse regions
Proportion of land area covered by forests, 1990, 2000 and 2005
(Percentage)
TARGET
Integrate the principles of sustainable development
into country policies and programmes and reverse the
loss of environmental resources
Maintaining the integrity of the worlďs forests
and other ecosystems plays an important role in
biodiversity conservation. More than a third ( per
Tree plantations increase while
old-growth forest ecosystems
continue to be lost
Forest characteristics, 2005 (Percentage)
Despite increased efforts to conserve the land
and seas, biodiversity continues to decline
In response to the loss of global biodiversity, the international
community has been encouraging protection of the Earth's land and marine
environments. The proportion of protected areas globally has steadily
increased, and a total of about 20 million square kilometres of land and
sea were under protection by 200. This is an area more than twice the
size of China. However, not all protected areas are effectively managed
for conservation. Further clouding the picture is the fact that only a
fraction of these areas - about 2 million square kilometres - are marine
ecosystems, despite their important role in the sustainability of fish
stocks and of coastal livelihoods.
Even though more areas are being protected, the proportion of species
threatened with extinction continues to increase, and individual populations
continue to decline. Unprecedented efforts will be required to conserve
habitats and to manage ecosystems and species in a sustainable way if the
rate of species loss is to be significantly reduced by 2010.
The worlďs fisheries are at particular risk, and will require continued
international cooperation and management to maintain current stocks
and to allow depleted ones to recover. After decades of deterioration, the
proportion of overexploited, depleted and recovering fish stocks has now
stabilized at around 2 per cent since the 1990s. But the proportion of
underexploited fisheries is steadily declining. Currently, only 22 per cent of
the worlďs fisheries are sustainable, compared to 0 per cent in 19.
From 1990 to 200, the world lost  per cent of its
forests, an average decrease of 0.2 per cent a year.
Deforestation, primarily due to the conversion of
forests to agricultural land in developing countries,
continues at an alarming rate ­ about 1 million
hectares a year. The rate of loss has been fastest in
some of the worlďs most biologically diverse regions,
including South-Eastern Asia, Oceania, Latin America,
and sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to the loss of
biodiversity, between 18 and 2 per cent of greenhouse
gas emissions each year are associated with
deforestation, making it a key factor in climate change.
The planting of trees, restoration of degraded lands
and the natural expansion of woodlands ­ especially in
Europe, parts of North America and Eastern Asia ­ have
increased forested areas in these regions, particularly
in recent years. As a result, the net decrease in forest
cover over the period 2000-200 is about . million
hectares a year ­ down from 8.9 million hectares a year
from 1990 to 2000. Still, forested areas totalling about
200 square kilometres ­ an area twice the size of Paris
­ are being lost every day.
Recent efforts to curb deforestation ­ in Brazil, for
example ­ are positive signs. In parts of the African
Sahel, where desertification is contributing to poverty,
the decentralization of authority to manage and benefit
from local resources also shows promise of reversing
earlier forest losses.
THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
cent) of the worlďs forests remain largely undisturbed by human activity.
Yet these primary forests were lost at a rate of about  million hectares
a year between 2000 and 200, because of selective logging and other
human interventions. Over this same period, forest plantations increased
by about 2.8 million hectares a year, mainly due to large-scale treeplanting
schemes in China. Forest plantations represent less than  per
cent of the worlďs total forest area. Slightly more than three quarters of all
plantations are intended for harvesting, primarily of timber and fiber, while
the remaining quarter are protective plantations, established mainly for the
conservation of soil and water.
1
Primary forest
Modified natural
forest
Semi-natural
forest
Productive forest
plantation
Protective forest
plantation
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Oceania
Sub-Saharan Africa
Southern Asia
South-Eastern Asia
Developed regions
Northern Africa
World
CIS
31
31
30
50
56
47
Latin America & the Caribbean
65
68
63
47
50
46
39
39
39
31
30
31
27
29
26
18
16
20
14
14
14
3
3
3
1
1
1
1990
2000
2005
53
36
7
3
2 2
UNITED NATIONS
A global effort to eliminate ozone-depleting
substances is working, though damage to the
ozone layer will persist for some time
THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
With half the developing world without basic
sanitation, meeting the MDG target will
require extraordinary efforts
TARGET
Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population
without sustainable access to safe drinking water and
basic sanitation
Proportion of population using improved sanitation, 1990 and 2004
(Percentage)
Growing greenhouse gas
emissions continue to outpace
advances in sustainable energy
technologies
Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2
), 1990-2004
(Billions of metric tons)
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, the science is now unequivocal: Human
activities are driving changes in the Earth's climate,
with subsequent risks to livelihoods and human
well-being. Mean global surface temperatures have
increased by about 0. degrees Celsius since 190.
One expected result is an increase in severe weather
patterns in many parts of the world. Shortages of
fresh water ­ perhaps our most precious but degraded
natural resource ­ are also likely to be exacerbated.
In regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, where climate
models predict less rainfall, the resulting drop in crop
yields and the critical decline in food, shelter materials and water could
prove catastrophic.
The primary contributor to climate change is carbon dioxide (CO2
), released
by the burning of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide emissions reached 29 billion
metric tons in 200 and continue to rise, as evidenced by increasing
concentrations of CO2
in the atmosphere. In South-Eastern Asia and
Northern Africa, emissions more than doubled between 1990 and 200.
Yet, on a per capita basis, developing regions continue to emit far less
CO2
than developed regions. In 200, developed regions accounted for
about 12 tons per person on average. Western Asia, the highest per capita
emitter among developing regions, produced less than half that amount. An
individual in sub-Saharan Africa accounts for less than one tenth of the CO2
produced by an average person in the developed world.
As global energy consumption continues to expand ­ an increase of 20 per
cent since 1990 ­ progress has been made in the development and use of
cleaner energy technologies. Energy from renewable resources, such as
hydropower and bio-fuels, now accounts for more than 12 per cent of total
energy use. The development of more modern renewables, which have
no negative impact on people's health or the environment, has increased
tenfold over the last several decades. However, these newer technologies,
including those that rely on wind, solar, wave and geothermal energy, still
account for only 0. per cent of total energy consumption.
A continuing reliance on fossil fuels is likely for some time to come. Stronger
international action is needed to accelerate the transition to cleaner and
more efficient energy sources.
Consumption of all ozone depleting substances, 1989-2005 (Thousands of
metric tons of ozone-depleting potential)
Emissions of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) have been drastically
reduced ­ from almost 1. billion tons in 1989 to 89 million tons in 200
­ since threats to the protective ozone layer were first recognized. The
An estimated 1. billion people will need access to improved sanitation over
the period 200-201 to meet the MDG target. Yet if trends since 1990
continue, the world is likely to miss the target by almost 00 million people.
Only Eastern, South-Eastern and Western Asia, Northern Africa and
Latin America and the Caribbean are on track to halve the proportion of
people without basic sanitation by 201. All other developing regions have
made insufficient progress towards this target. In sub-Saharan Africa, the
absolute number of people without access to sanitation actually increased
0 10 14128642
Southern Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
CIS
South-Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Oceania
Northern Africa
Latin America & the Caribbean
Developing regions
Developed regions
2.9
5.6
3.2
2.4
1.0
2.0
1.4
1.1
1.2
0.7
1.1
0.5
0.7
0.5
0.5
0.2
Eastern Asia
12.5
6.9
9.7
1990
2004
12.4
<0.1
<0.1
Southern Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
CIS
South-Eastern Asia
Western Asia
Oceania
Northern Africa
Latin America & the Caribbean
Developing regions
32
37
20
38
24
45
53
54
67
49
77
65
77
68
83
82
84
Eastern Asia
81
91
91
84
83
75
77
62
60
50 68
35
66
0 20 40 60 80 100
2004
1990
2015 target
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
Developed regions
Developing regions
1990 1995 2000 20051986
progress to date, 20 years after the Montreal Protocol
was signed, demonstrates what can be achieved when
countries act together, and in a concerted way, to
resolve global environmental problems.
Concentrations of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) have begun to recede in the atmosphere.
However, until they diminish significantly, the ozone
layer cannot begin to heal and ultraviolet radiation will
continue to harm human health, crop productivity and
wildlife.
Since the 1990s, every region has exceeded its
commitments under the Montreal Protocol. CFCs have
already been phased out in developed countries, and
developing countries are on track to do so by 2010.
Similarly, every region has reduced its consumption of
other ozone-depleting substances. However, countries
have yet to completely eliminate their use, which
is in accordance with the timelines proposed under
the Protocol. Complicating the issue is the fact that
significant amounts of CFCs continue to be produced
and traded illegally. Management of ODS stockpiles
is another concern, since the cost of destroying
them is high and environmentally unsound disposal
methods could spew disastrous amounts of ozonedepleting
substances into the atmosphere. Maintaining
momentum and funding for the final phase-out and
for monitoring the ozone layer is crucial to a happy
conclusion to this unprecedented international success
story.
2 2
­ from  million in 1990 to 0 million people by the
end of 200. This number may increase even further if
trends do not improve.
The health, economic and social repercussions of open
defecation, poor hygiene and lack of safe drinking
water are well documented. Together they contribute
to about 88 per cent of the deaths due to diarrhoeal
diseases ­ more than 1. million ­ in children under
age five. Infestation of intestinal worms caused
by open defecation affects hundreds of millions of
predominantly school-aged children, resulting in
reduced physical growth, weakened physical fitness
and impaired cognitive functions. Poor nutrition
contributes to these effects. As the intensity of
infection increases, academic performance and school
attendance decline substantially. Intestinal worms can
also lead to anaemia, which, for girls, increases the
risks later of complications in childbirth.
The rapid expansion of cities is making slum
improvements even more daunting
Urban population living in slums conditions, 1990, 2001 and 2005
(Percentage)
TARGET
To improve the lives of at least 100 million slum
dwellers by 2020
Note: The decrease in the percentage of populations living in slum conditions is due in large part to a change
in the definition of adequate sanitation. In 200, only a proportion of households using pit latrines were
considered slum households, whereas in 1990 and 2001 all households using pit latrines were counted as
slum households. The change affects estimates mostly in those countries where the use of pit latrines is
more widespread, as in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Already, nearly half the worlďs population live in cities in towns. But due
to urban migration and rapid population growth, the number of urban
dwellers will continue to expand, from .2 billion people today to nearly 
billion by 200, with most of the growth taking place in Africa and Asia.
In 200, one out of three urban dwellers was living in slum conditions
­ that is, lacking at least one of the basic conditions of decent housing:
adequate sanitation, improved water supply, durable housing or adequate
living space. Even if the growth rate of slum dwellers decreases, the
rapid expansion of urban areas will make it challenging to improve living
conditions quickly enough to meet the target.
Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia are still the regions where lack
of adequate shelter among urban populations is most acute. Looking
beyond the regional averages, the situation is even more discouraging.
In countries including Chad, the Central African Republic and Ethiopia,
four out of five urban dwellers live in slums. In most of Asia and in Latin
America, where the majority of urban dwellers have access to improved
water and sanitation, slum conditions are characterized mainly by
overcrowding and makeshift shelters. The non-durability of housing, in
fact, is a problem for an estimated 11 million people living in cities of the
developing world. Over half of these people live in Asia; Northern Africa
has the fewest people living in non-durable housing. In 200, about one
fifth of the urban population in the developing world lived in overcrowded
houses (with more than three persons sharing a bedroom); two thirds of
them were in Asia, with half in Southern Asia.
UNITED NATIONS THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
Developing regions
Western Asia
Northern Africa
Eastern Asia
Southern Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
Oceania
47
43
37
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
26
26
24
24
25
24
32
35
27
28
37
28
36
41
37
59
64
43
72
72
62
38
28
15
1990
2001
2005
Latin America & the Caribbean
South-Eastern Asia
28 29
Goal 8
Develop a
global
partnership for
development
Development aid falls, despite renewed
commitments by donor countries
Official development assistance from developed countries, 1990-2006
(Constant 2005 United States dollars)
In 200, aid rose to a record $10.8 billion due to large debt relief
operations, most notably for Iraq and Nigeria. In 200, substantial debt
relief to these two countries began to drop out of the equation, causing net
aid disbursements to fall to $10.9 billion ­ equivalent to 0. per cent of
developed countries' combined national income. In real terms, official aid
dropped by .1 per cent, the first decline since 199. Even excluding debt
relief, aid still declined by 1.8 per cent from the year before.
The only donors to reach or exceed the United Nations target of 0.
per cent of gross national income for development aid were Denmark,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Sixteen of the 22
member countries of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) met
the 200 targets for official development assistance they set at the 2002
Monterrey Conference on Financing for Development.
Aid is expected to continue to fall slightly in 200 as debt relief declines
further. Other forms of aid will increase if donors fulfil their recent pledges.
However, the present rate of increase in core development programmes
will have to triple over the next four years if donors are to deliver on their
promises.
Development assistance is mainly targeted at the
poorest countries. However, aid to the least developed
countries (LDCs) has essentially stalled since 200.
Aid to sub-Saharan Africa, excluding debt relief for
Nigeria, increased by only 2 per cent between 200
and 200. This reflects poorly on donors, who pledged
to double aid to Africa by 2010 at the summit of the
Group of 8 industrialized nations in Gleneagles in
200.
Donors pledge to double their
aid to Africa, but there is little to
show so far
Official development assistance from developed
countries as a proportion of donors' gross national
income, 1990-2006 (Percentage)
TARGET
Address the special needs of the
least developed countries, landlocked
countries and small island developing
states Preferential market access has stalled for most
developing countries
Proportion of imports from developing countries (excluding arms and oil)
admitted to developed countries duty-free, 1996-2005 (Percentage)
TARGET
Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, nondiscriminatory
trading and financial system
In the Millennium Declaration, governments agreed that globalization
should become a positive force for all. To this end, members of the World
Trade Organization decided at a 2001 meeting in Doha to complete, by the
end of 200, a series of trade negotiations that would focus on improving
the prospects of developing countries. As of early 200, there was still
no agreement on the overall programme of measures to be adopted. This
represents an important opportunity lost.
As part of these broader negotiations, developed countries (and developing
countries in a position to do so) agreed in 200 to eliminate duties and
quotas on most imports from least developed countries (LDCs). As a result,
trade barriers for these countries have diminished, but remain significant
for some products and some LDCs. In addition, more than 0 developing
countries, including China, are now willing to enhance duty-free access for
least developed countries under the auspices of the Global System of Trade
Preferences.
In 200, the share of goods entering developed country markets duty-free
was unchanged from the year before, for both developing countries as a
whole and for the least developed countries. Moreover, the liberalization
of existing quotas on sensitive products, such as clothing and textiles,
resulting from the end of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing in 200,
unleashed a global restructuring of trade flows. This benefited some
developing countries but was detrimental to others ­ ranging from some
upper-middle-income countries in Asia and Latin America to several least
developed countries in Africa.
UNITED NATIONS THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
40
60
50
70
80
90 Least developed countries
All developing countries
1996 19981997 2000 2001 2002 20031999 2004 2005
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.40
ODA to LDCs (% of GNI)
Total ODA (% of GNI)
1990 19941992 1998 2000 2002 20041996 2006
(preliminary)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1990 1992 199 199 1998 2000 2002 200 200
(preliminary)
Net debt relief grants
Humanitarian aid
Bilateral development
Contribution to multilateral
organisations
0 1
UNITED NATIONS THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
The debt service burden of
developing countries continues to
lighten
External debt service payments as proportion of export
revenues, 1990-2005 (Percentage)
TARGET
Deal comprehensively with developing
countries' debt
In all regions, economies have
failed to provide full employment
for their young people
TARGET
In cooperation with developing
countries, develop and implement
strategies for decent and productive
work for youth
Opening the markets of rich or middle-income
economies does not, by itself, always benefit the
poorest developing countries. Through various
initiatives, African LDCs have almost full market access
to most developing countries duty-free. However,
supply constraints severely limit their capacity to
exploit such opportunities. In addition, restrictive
conditions ­ including rules on origins of products and
other administrative obstacles ­ often make these
preferences difficult to take advantage of. To raise
LDCs out of poverty, improved market access needs
to be complemented by a significant programme of
Aid for Trade, a call that was reiterated in the World
Trade Organization's Ministerial Declaration in 200.
However, between 2001 and 200, the proportion of
official aid going to trade-related technical assistance
and capacity-building has declined from . to . per
cent.
The poorest countries continue to be relieved of their
external debt burdens under two programmes: the
Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiative and the
Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI). The MDRI,
proposed by the Group of 8 industrialized nations, was
launched in 200 to reduce further the debts of highly
indebted countries and to provide additional resources
to help them meet the Millennium Development Goals.
Youth unemployment rates, 1996 and 2006
(Percentage)
Both developed and developing economies are failing
to provide job opportunities at a fast enough pace
to fully employ their young people. Since 199, the
number of jobless youth has grown from  million to 8 million in 200.
This represents almost half of the 19 million jobless people in the world.
Young people tend to have more difficulty finding work than adults and, in
many countries, they are more than three times as likely to be without jobs.
In 200, youth unemployment stood at 1. per cent, compared to the adult
unemployment rate of . per cent.
Coping with the employment challenge is made more urgent by the
staggering number of projected job entrants over the next few years,
especially in developing countries ­ home to 89 per cent of the worlďs
youth. The total number of young people has increased by over 12 million
since 199 and is expected to grow by an additional 18 million by 201, to
nearly 1.2 billion. Ensuring that young people have a productive outlet for
their energy and talents is an indispensable element of poverty eradication.
The successful integration of young people into the labour market
­ especially youth from poor or underprivileged households ­ is also
important for economic growth. With the right start in the labour market
comes a wider range of options through which young people can improve
their lives as well as those of future dependants. The result: an end to the
spread of intergenerational poverty. Moreover, young men and women who
have the means to support a family may be less likely to resort to anti-social
behaviour, violence or crime.
Unemployment is only one aspect of underperforming labour markets.
All too often, people have a job but work unacceptably long hours under
intermittent and insecure work arrangements, characterized by low
productivity, meagre earnings, reduced labour protection and diminished
rights. All of these dimensions should be considered part of a broader
definition of decent and productive work, an analysis of which would aid our
understanding of the progress being made towards full employment for all.
Everyone ­ women and young people included ­ has the right to fulfil their
potential and escape the poverty trap through decent and productive work.
Under the programme, three multilateral institutions ­ the International
Development Association, International Monetary Fund and African
Development Fund ­ provide 100 per cent debt relief for eligible debts of
countries that have completed the HIPC initiative process, which requires
meeting certain criteria. In early 200, the Inter-American Development
Bank decided to provide similar debt relief to the five Latin American and
Caribbean countries that are part of the HIPC programme.
By April 200, 22 of the 0 HIPC countries had fulfilled all conditions and
been granted debt relief; eight had completed the first stage of the process
(called the `decision poinť) and received debt relief on a provisional basis.
The remaining 10 countries have received commitments of HIPC debt
relief worth $12. billion in present value terms and could become eligible
for further debt relief under the MDRI. Eleven other countries remain
potentially eligible for debt relief under the HIPC initiative, but have been
unable to seize the opportunity because of conflict, poor governance or
arrears in payments.
By mid-200, nearly $0 billion in debt relief had been committed to
countries that had reached the HIPC decision point. Relief under the two
initiatives is expected to reduce the debt stocks of these countries by
almost 90 per cent. Their estimated debt service payments fell to about
 per cent of export earnings in 200; it is expected that they will have
declined even further ­ to about  per cent ­ in 200. Debt service paid
by these countries fell by about 2 per cent of their gross domestic product
between 1999 and 200, and is expected to decline further over the next
several years.
* Preliminary estimates
0 25 35302015105
South-Eastern Asia
Developed regions
Latin America & the Caribbean
CIS
Eastern Asia
World
Southern Asia
31
30
19
23
18
18
18
10
17
21
16
15
11
10
7
7
7
7
13
12
16
14
1996
2006*
Sub-Saharan Africa
Western Asia
Northern Africa
Oceania
0
5
10
15
20
25
1990 19941992 1998 2000 20021996 2005
Developing regions
Least developed countries
Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)
2 
UNITED NATIONS
Access to information and
communication technologies
grows fastest in the mobile sector
Number of telephone subscriptions and Internet
connections per 100 population, 1990-2005
(Percentage)
TARGET
In cooperation with the private sector,
make available the benefits of new
technologies, especially information
and communications
Connectivity is increasing, with the number of
Internet users and telephone subscribers expanding
worldwide. The most rapid growth has taken place
in the mobile sector, which has been critical to
improving communications in regions with few fixed
telephone lines. The number of mobile subscribers
worldwide rose from 11 million in 1990 to 2.2 billion
in 200, compared to growth in fixed lines of 20
million to 1.2 billion over the same period. In Africa,
almost every country has more mobile than fixed
telephone subscribers, and over  million new mobile
subscribers were added in 200. By the end of 200,
a total of 10 million Africans had subscriptions to
mobile phones. This represents 1 per cent of the
African population, compared to  per cent with fixed
telephone lines and  per cent using the Internet.
Internet use is growing, but remains low
throughout the developing world
Number of Internet users per 100 population, 2002 and 2005
By the end of 200, just over 1 per cent of the worlďs population were
using the Internet. However, the proportions are skewed in favour of richer
countries. Over half the population in developed regions were using the
Internet in 200, compared to 9 per cent in developing regions and 1 per
cent in the 0 least developed countries.
Oceania
Southern Asia
Western Asia
CIS
South-Eastern Asia
Eastern Asia
Northern Africa
Transition countries of South-Eastern Europe
Latin America & the Caribbean
4
5
2
5
1
3
3
8
5
9
11
6
12
7
12
3
15
8
19
8
0 50 6040302010
Developing regions
Developed regions
9
43
4
53
2002
2005
Sub-Saharan Africa
Fixed telephone lines
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1990 199 2000 200
Mobile cellular subscribers
Internet users
 
A note to the reader
UNITED NATIONS
Charting progress towards the MDGs
The Millennium Declaration, signed by worlďs leaders of 189
countries in 2000, established 2015 as the deadline for achieving
most of the Millennium Development Goals. The majority of MDG
targets have a baseline of 1990, and are set to monitor achievements
over the period 1990-2015. This report presents an assessment of
progress midway through the process, based on data available as
of June 2007.1
Since more data are now becoming available for
the period after 2000, data for 2000 are also presented whenever
possible, to provide a more detailed picture of progress since the
Declaration was signed.
The basis for this analysis
This analysis is based on regional and subregional figures compiled
by the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on MDG Indicators. In
general, the figures were obtained through weighted averages of
country data ­ using the population of reference as a weight. To
ensure comparability across countries and regions, the data are
those used by international agencies within their area of expertise
(see inside front cover for a list of contributing organizations). For
each indicator, one or more agencies were designated to be the
official data providers and to take the lead in developing appropriate
methodologies for data collection and analysis.
Data are typically drawn from official statistics provided
by governments to the international agencies responsible for the
indicator. This is done through a mechanism of periodic data
collection. In the case of data on employment, for example, the
International Labour Organization collects labour force indicators
from labour ministries and national statistical offices in every
country; in the area of health, the World Health Organization
gathers administrative records and household survey data on major
diseases from ministries of health and national statistical agencies
around the globe.
To fill frequent data gaps, many of the indicators are supplemented
by or derived exclusively from data collected through surveys
sponsored and carried out by international agencies. These include
many of the health indicators, which are compiled for the most part
from Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and Demographic Health
Surveys.
In some cases, countries may have more recent data that have not
yet become available to the specialized agency in question. In other
cases, countries do not produce the data required to compile the
indicator, and the responsible international agencies estimate the
missing values. Finally, even when countries regularly produce the
necessary data, adjustments are often needed to ensure international
comparability. The United Nations Statistics Division maintains
the official website of the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on MDG
Indicators and its database ­ accessible at mdgs.un.org ­ containing
the aggregated data as well as the country data series as provided
by all partner agencies. The database also presents the detailed
metadata on the calculation of the indicators and the methodologies
used for regional aggregations.
Aggregated figures are used in this report to provide an overall
assessment of regional progress under the eight goals and are a
convenient way to track advances over time. However, the situation
in individual countries within a given region may vary significantly
from the averages presented here.
Building stronger statistical systems
The availability of good statistics and the capacity of governments,
donors and international organizations to systematically measure,
monitor and report on progress in all social and economic spheres
are at the heart of development policy and the achievement of the
MDGs.
Reliable data at the national and local levels are indispensable to
informing policies, identifying and measuring the effectiveness of key
interventions, and monitoring progress. Since periodic assessment
of the MDGs began over five years ago, a number of initiatives
have been launched to address the needs of developing countries
to strengthen their capacity to produce, analyse and disseminate
data. A major step in this direction was the 2004 endorsement of
the "Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics - Better Data for Better
Results, An Action Plan for Improving Development Statistics," by
the Second International Roundtable on Managing for Development
Results, comprising aid recipients and donor stakeholders.
In line with the Marrakech Plan, the Inter-Agency and Expert
Group on MDG Indicators has also made statistical capacitybuilding
one of its priority areas of work. Towards this end, the
Inter-Agency Group, together with international agencies, donors
and representatives from national statistical offices, are identifying
national priorities in statistical capacity-building. They are also
making specific recommendations for improvements in the delivery
and coordination of statistical assistance to countries.
More recently, the United Nations Statistical Commission, comprised
of representatives of national statistical services, has called the
attention of UN Member States to the urgent need to build statistical
capacity in countries where resources are limited. A Resolution on
Statistical Capacity-Building was proposed by the Commission in
March 2006 and later approved by the Economic and Social Council
in July 2006. Building such capacity will require increased and better
coordinated financial and technical support from the international
community. Achieving success will depend on country ownership and
government commitment to spur the institutional changes needed to
ensure the sustainability of capacity-building initiatives.
Regional Groupings
This report presents data on progress towards the Millennium Development Goals
for the world as a whole and for various country groupings. These are classified as
"developing" regions, the transition economies of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS) in Asia and Europe, and the "developed" regions.1
The developing regions
are further broken down into the subregions shown on the map above. These regional
groupings are based on United Nations geographical divisions, with some modifications
necessary to create, to the extent possible, groups of countries for which a meaningful
analysis can be carried out. A complete list of countries included in each region and
subregion is available at mdgs.un.org.
1 Since there is no established convention for the designation of "developed" and "developing" countries or areas in the United
Nations system, this distinction is made for the purposes of statistical analysis only.
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in the present publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part
of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its
frontiers or boundaries.
Developed regions
Countries of the Commonwealth
of Independent States (CIS)
Northern Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
South-Eastern Asia
Oceania
Eastern Asia
Southern Asia
Western Asia
Latin America & the Caribbean
THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2007
1
Given the time lag between collecting data and analysing them, few indicators have data for
the current year or 200.
36 37
For more information:
Visit the UN Statistics Division Millennium
Development Goals website at
mdgs.un.org
Visit the UN Millennium Development Goals
website at
www.un.org/millenniumgoals
Visit the UN Millennium Campaign Office
website at
www.millenniumcampaign.org
PHOTO CREDITS
Cover: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Page 2: UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Page 6: UN Photo/Kevin Bubriski
Page 9: UN Photo
Page 10: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Page 12: UN Photo/Martine Perret
Page 14: UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Page 16: UNICEF/Shehzad Noorani
Page 18: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Page 22: UN Photo
Page 27: UN Photo
Page 28: UNCDF/Adam Rogers
Page 31: UN Photo/Louise Gubb
Page 33: ITU Photo
Copyright  United Nations, 2007
All rights reserved.
8
"In the Millennium Declaration of 2000, world
leaders set forth a new vision for humanity...
Leaders committed themselves `to spare no effort
to free our fellow men, women and children
from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of
extreme poverty'.
We must recognize the nature of the global trust
at stake and the danger that many developing
countries' hopes could be irredeemably pierced
if even the greatest anti-poverty movement in
history is insufficient to break from `business as
usuaľ.
Are we on course to look back, in 2015, and say
that no effort was spared?"
­ Meeting the Challenges of a Changing World
(Annual Report of the Secretary-General on the Work of the Organization, 2006)
Published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
DESA - June 2007
SA L E S N U M B E R : E.07.I.15
I S B N 9 7 8 --9 2 --1 --1 0 1 1 5 3 --1