Search

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have become the international community's shared framework for development. Since the Goals focus on national averages and do not refer explicitly to human rights, a long debate has ensued since the adoption of the MDGs in 2001 on whether the Goals are consistent with the progressive realisation of human rights. This paper reviews the history of the MDGs and outlines how developing countries can achieve the Goals. It shows that the MDGs are consistent with Human Rights Based Approaches. Yet, efforts aimed at integrating Human Rights Based Approaches into strategies to achieve the MDGs have primarily focused on normative questions. Too little progress has been made in applying Human Rights Based approached to inform the day-to-day decisions that development practitioners and Governments need to make. In response, the paper outlines a practical approach for how Human Rights Based Approaches could be systematically integrated into five common stages involved in the design and implementation of national development strategies to achieve the MDGs. The five stages cover: (i) the choice of interventions to meet the MDGs; (ii) establishment of corresponding coverage targets and an explicit monitoring framework; (iii) the programming of public expenditures; (iv) the prioritisation and sequencing of interventions over time; and (v) the design of supporting policy frameworks. For each stage, the paper outlines how Human Rights-Based Approaches can inform the choices and decisions that policymakers need to make. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the policies of global fund (GF) for sustainable development goals. The launch of Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria (GF) in the context of the AIDS pandemic and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is mentioned. The design principles of GF which includes needs-based pooled financing, political independence and performance-based funding are presented.

The article presents a letter to the editor in response to Amir Attaran's Policy Forum which raises important points on the poor quality of data for some indicators used to measure progress on the Millennium Development Goals.

Discusses the United Nations (UN) Millennium Project and the importance of ensuring environmental sustainability in achieving the project's development goals. Conclusion by the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Environmental Sustainability that protection of the environment is an essential prerequisite and component of human health and wellbeing; Need for the maintenance of ecosystem services critical to the human population; Description of these services; Focus of the task force on the health consequences of environmental degradation; Question of how the degradation of the environment can be contained in conjunction with achieving environmental sustainability; Identification of practical interventions to improve the management of environmental resources in six key areas, including soils and land-based production systems, forests, and marine ecosystems.