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One of the best kept secrets in global public health is how China achieved the tuberculosis (TB) targets in the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG) The MDG’s TB targets were to reduce the prevalence and mortality of TB by 50% between 1990 and 2015 By 2010, China had reduced its TB prevalence and mortality by 65% and 80%, (1−2) which meant China exceeded the MDG targets 5 years before the MDG deadline This impressive achievement helped China to move from a high to a medium TB-incidence country Today, China still has the world’s third highest number of new TB cases each year But when adjusted for population size, it has the lowest TB incidence per capita among the 30 high TB-burden countries (3) In 2015, the global community committed to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which included two new TB targets — reducing TB incidence and deaths by 80% and 90%, respectively, compared to their 2015 levels (3) World Health Organization (WHO) went further by setting the 2035 END TB targets of reducing TB incidence and deaths by 90% and 95%, respectively (3) WHO estimates that China’s TB incidence in 2015 was around 65 cases per 100,000 population (4) A 90% reduction would bring TB incidence to less than 7 cases per 100,000 population, a level seen in most high-income countries Achieving this will mean that China has eliminated TB as a major public health problem Although the SDG and END TB targets seem difficult to achieve, we can learn from how China achieved the MDG TB targets, which was made possible by China’s renewed commitment to control major infectious diseases following the 2003 SARS epidemic (5) Today, we are in similar situation China is once again impacted by the spread of another coronavirus The country has been strengthening its health system to be more responsive to both current and future pandemics Perhaps TB can once again benefit from the renewed focus on controlling infectious diseases This commentary will discuss how China can apply the lessons and approaches from its COVID-19 response to make progress toward eliminating TB as a major public health problem

In recent years, there have been significant efforts to examine the organization and performance of health systems. This study's main purpose is to compare health systems and analyze the health status of the citizens of Comoros, Mauritius, and Seychelles, with the intention of providing policy recommendations for Comoros. Peer-reviewed studies and reports published by non-governmental organizations and international agencies were systematically collected through large database searches, filtered through methodological inclusion criteria, and organized into the World Health Organization (WHO) building blocks framework. The literature review demonstrates that health outcomes have dramatically improved over the past decades in Mauritius and Seychelles but not in Comoros. As of 2015, Mauritius and Seychelles were among the few African countries to have achieved almost all the Millennium Development Goals, whereas Comoros still struggles to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health. In contrast, the total health expenditure of the three island states, as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), seemed similar over the studied time period.

This study examined the disaster management preparedness in the education sector in Kenya, with a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic period. The study adopted destktop literature review for data collection. The collected data pertains e-learning in Kenya and in other countries during the time of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Notably, the education sector, like in many other countries, seeks to actualise the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in line with the United Nations and the Education for All (EFA) movement lead by UNESCO (MacEwen, et al., 2011). Examples of these events are; accidents such as the one evident in Kakamega Primary School where the school closed for about two weeks (Daily Nation, 2020), attack by militia groups as was the case of Garissa University in 2015, intercommunity wars that lead to displacements, famine, and fires. These disasters and events, whenever they strike, have led to the closure of affected institutions of learning to pave the way for interventions. Garissa University is a leading example since it had to close for about nine months in 2015-2016 (BBC, 2016). In Kenya, disasters and other events disrupt the progress towards achieving MDGs and EFA time to time, and that was the inspiration for this study. The study concludes that disasters like nature patterns, militia groups, electricity faults, and those instigated by learners can derail learning in education and cause loss of lives. As such, online learning comes in handy to lessen such disasters. The possibility of such learning model has been tested and proved during COVID-19 pandemic and it has been successful in many institutions of higher learning and middle level colleges.

This study evaluates the impact of health care expenditure by the government on health sector outcomes in Pakistan by using data from the period 1982 to 2016. To examine whether the variables are stationary, the ADF test is run whereas the relationship among the variables is tested through the ARDL model technique. The empirical result from the regression equation shows that healthcare expenditure affects significantly the health sector outcome i.e., a decrease in infant deaths in the long run. Bilateral and multilateral fund assistance becomes a part of health expenditure in less progressive countries which is helpful for increasing the resource allocation in the vital segment of the economy. Hence funds allocated for health care expenditure need to be sensibly utilized because it will help in achieving a portion of the Millennium Development Goals. Improved wellbeing can be achieved as an outcome of enhanced capacities of the health sector as a result of the proper allocation of public healthcare funds.

Purpose This paper aims to assess the progress in the provision of basic services in urban slums in Bangladesh during the transition period of millennium development goals (MDGs) to sustainable development goals (SDGs). Design/methodology/approach The study used a mixed method of research. The empirical part of the research was conducted in three Blocks of Rupsha slum in Khulna city. Randomly selected 120 households were interviewed through a structured questionnaire; three focus group discussion sessions (FGDs) were also conducted. Progress in the slum residents’ access to basic services during the transition from MDGs to SDGs is tacked based on primary data. The User Satisfaction Index (USI) and Network Analysis tools in ArcGIS are used to identify the gaps in service provision. Findings Findings show that a very significant proportion of families (56.67%) encounter an acute level of difficulties to gain smooth access to water services. About 89% of respondents have only access to a common or shared toilet facility where one common toilet is used by 20–25 persons. About 31% of families are unable to send their children to primary school even after four years of the adoption of SDGs. Achievements in most indicators of basic services in the slum are in general lower than the national level. Moreover, there exists spatial variability within the same slum. After four years of the transition from MDGs to SDGs, most of the services are poorly satisfying the residents of the Rupsha slum, and water service provision is in worse condition. The findings of this study have unveiled that while achievement in target areas is appreciable at the macro level, at the micro-level; however, good achievement in the provision of few basic services in the low-income settlement is more rhetoric than reality. Therefore, a lot more work needs to be done during the SDG phase to give the slum residents a decent quality of life as they have missed the MDGs’ train. Originality/value Study single-out works need to be done during the SDGs phase to give the slum residents a decent quality of life as they have missed the MDGs’ train.

Digital equity and sustainable development are in the focus of attention nowadays. While ICT professionals and professional societies have contributed to supporting developing countries for many years, it is even more urgent nowadays to take responsibility. Technological and also societal developments are happening at an incredible speed with the risk that underprivileged persons and communities are lagging behind faster and further. A risk that is not limited to developing countries but also affects emerging and developed countries. This chapter describes some major UN initiatives and reflects on the options for ICT professionals and professional societies to contribute to achieving digital equity and sustainable development. These options are illustrated by a few examples of what has been done so far. Most of the efforts to contribute meet challenges and impediments and we list a number of them. Finally, suggestions are made to address the challenges and to increase the impact and long term effect of efforts.

Objective: To study health related Millennium Development Goals in context of Pakistan’s progress in improving health system of Pakistan. Methods: Chronological landscape of health conditions with temporal limit of 2000 to 2015 and progress was measured in five, ten and fifteen years of MDGs in view of Public Sector Health Care Segment (PSHCS). Statistical package IBM-SPSS-21 was used for analyzing the data. ANOVA was conducted at level of significance (p

Under the influence of the common goals of Education For All (EFA), Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the international development realm, many countries around the world have reached a great level of development through continuous improvement in education since 2000. Meanwhile, Morocco could be one of the developing countries that struggle to resolve many problems resulting from having a weak educational system, which has been considered as one of the main obstacles to the country’s economic growth. The purpose of this article is to analyse the gender gap in access to primary education in rural areas of Morocco, focusing on primary school girls. Based on the investigation on the major obstacles, we carried out descriptive statistics with selected variables such as the adjusted net enrolment rate, the cumulative drop-out rate to the last grade, the gross intake ration (graduation ratio) to the last grade, and Gender Parity Index (GPI). In addition, we conducted a few private interviews via Skype with local stakeholders to underpin our research and to reflect personal ideas on the Moroccan educational system from their own perspective. Lastly, we suggested applicable solutions against those barriers from the perspective of education ODA.

Local government system is the most efficient administrative unit to directly observe and deliver the basic needs of public in any country. Millennium Development Goals specific to education and health should also come under the prerogatives of local government based on their success indicators. But in Pakistan, MDG’s have not been treated by politically and administratively decentralized local governments. This qualitative research study investigates the possible role of local government as per perception of real actors, which could have been played in augmenting the scope of primary education and health. The cross-sectional data was collected through interviews from officials working in education, health, and local government departments. Purposive sampling technique helped to select participants who have witnessed the changes in governing system before and after promulgation of LGO, 2001. Semantic approach of thematic analysis was used to analyze the Qualitative data. Analysis discovered the overlooked merits of decentralized local governments in regards to indicators defined by MDG’s. Analysis also found the reasons that hindered the process of obtaining the MDG’s specific to education and health, and factors to improve service delivery in both of these sectors. More than 80% of respondents have validated the unconditional need of politically decentralized local governments to deliver basic needs of public.

Background Global Health Education (GHE) focuses on training proactive global citizens to tackle health challenges in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world. Studies show that health professionals in training have reported that GHE has improved their teamwork, responsiveness to contextual factors that impact health, and understanding of health systems; however, there is little research on the impact of GHE courses in undergraduate settings, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods Our study analyzes a multidisciplinary online global health course at Tecnologico de Monterrey, México. We conducted a cross-sectional study with pre- and post-design. Students who took the multidisciplinary course of Global Health for Leaders in the Fall of 2019 (n = 153) and Spring of 2020 (n = 348) were selected for this study. Using a five-point Likert scale (strongly agree to strongly disagree), the survey assessed seven competencies as well as questions about course expectations, takeaways, and recommendations to improve the course. We performed descriptive statistical analyses comparing the combined pre-tests (from Fall and Spring cohorts) to the combined post-tests. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the samples. Results Of the 501 pre-course surveys administered, 456 responses were completed in the pre-course and 435 in the post-course (91% overall response rate). Only 8.7% of the respondents in the pre-course survey strongly agreed that they could describe fundamental aspects of global health such as the Millennium Development Goals or Sustainable Development Goals, in contrast to a 56% of the students who strongly agreed in the post-course survey (p Conclusion In this study, we have presented our experience in teaching an online global health course for multidisciplinary undergraduates in a LMIC. The competencies reported by our students indicate that the course prepared them to confront complex global health issues.

At the United Nations Conference in Stockholm in the early 1970s, the idea of sustainable development was mooted. It became a global phenomenon in the year 2000 when the United Nations (UN) declared the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with over one hundred and eighty-nine member states and about twenty-three international organizations. With the expiry date of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) came in vogue. The SDGs as a global project could only be attained through joint efforts of all sectors of human life, religion being one. In human history, religion plays significant developmental roles, hence a strong factor in attaining developmental goals. Islam in particular could not be left out in any developmental project, as it is not only a religion and but also a way of life. Indeed, the maqasid ash-shari’ah are meant for all-round development and protection of human life – religion (Din), life (Hayat), procreation (Nasl), Property (Māl) and Intellect (cAql). This study is designed to specifically relate the institution of zakat in Islam to attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with particular reference to Nigeria as a country. Historical, descriptive and exegetical methods are adopted for this purpose. The paper therefore concludes that zakat can be a veritable tool for achieving the SDGs if properly harnessed, monitored and utilized for the purpose it is meant.

في ظل تحديات القرن الحادي والعشرين أصبح نجاح أي مؤسسة أو نظام لابد وأن يستند علي أهداف محددة وواضحة ومن هنا کانت الغاية من وجود أهداف للتنمية المستدامة (SDGs) والمعروفة رسميا باسم تحويل عالمنا وهي عبارة عن 17 هدف تم وضعهم من قبل نظم الامم المتحدة وقد ذکرت هذه الاهداف في قرار الجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة في 25 سبتمبر 2015، وقد لوحظ ان هذه الأهداف بالرغم کونها غير ملزمة قانونا الا أن معظم الدول أهتمت بها واعتبرت الأهداف الإنمائية للألفية وهذه الاهداف السبعة عشر تتمثل في (الفقر- الجوع- الصحة- التعليم- تغيير المناخ- المساواة بين الجنسين- المياه – الصرف الصحي- الطاقة – البيئة- العدالة الاجتماعية)، وهي جميعها أهداف لحل العديد من قضايا التنمية الاجتماعية والاقتصادية، وعلي رأس هذه الأهداف والتي تمثل الانطلاقة لإصلاح اي مجتمع هو الاهتمام بتقديم جيد يلبي احتياجات الفرد والمجتمع ويساير الاتجاهات العالمية للتنمية والتطوير، وينص الهدف الرابع من أهداف التنمية المستدامة علي "ضمان التعليم الجيد المنصف والشامل للجميع وتعزيز فرص التعلم مدي الحياة للجميع" ومن هنا بدأت الدولة تستهدف التعليم کضرورة ضمن الخطة الاستراتيجية للدولة 2030 وکان هدفها الأساسي انبثاقا من أهداف التنمية المستدامة للتعليم هي " إتاحة التعليم والتدريب للجميع بجودة عالية دون التمييز وفي إطار مؤسسي وکفء وعادل مستدام وأن يکون متمرکزا علي المتعلم القادر علي التفکير والمتمکن فنيا وتقنيا وتکنولوجيا، بالإضافة إلي بناء الشخصية المتکاملة وإطلاق امکانيتها إلي أقصي مدي لمواطن معتز بذاته ، وتعتبر رؤية مصر 2030 تجسيدا لروح دستور مصر2014 والذي ينص في مادته (19) الباب الثاني "المقومات الاساسية للمجتمع" علي ان: " التعليم حق لکل مواطن هدفة بناء الشخصية المصرية والحفاظ علي الهوية الوطنية وتأصيل المنهج العلمي في التفکير وتنمية المواهب وتشجيع الابتکار وترسيخ القيم الحضارية والروحية وارساء مفاهيم المواطنة والتسامح وعدم التمييز وتلتزم الدولة بمراعاة اهدافه في مناهج التعليم ووسائله وتوفيره وفقا لمعايير الجودة العالمية". وبالتالي ومن خلال ما سبق فإن الاهتمام بتقديم تعلم جيد أصبح ضرورة ملحة وقد تم وضع إطار قومي للإصلاح الشامل للتعليم في مصر لتحقيق نقلة نوعية توحيد المفاهيم وترکيز الجهود حول تحقيق الأهداف والأولويات للدولة فيما يتعلق بالتعليم بوضع محاور رئيسة وهي: وقد اعتمدت أين نريد أن نکون في المستقبل؟ کيف يمکن الوصول إلى تحقيق ما نريد؟ التأکد أننا نتحرک في الاتجاه الصحيح؟ abstract In light of the challenges of the twenty-first century, the success of any institution or system must be based on specific and clear goals. Hence, the purpose of the existence of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), officially known as transforming our world, which is about 17 goals that have been set by the United Nations systems. These goals were stated in the United Nations General Assembly resolution on September 25, 2015, and it was noted that these goals, although not legally binding, but most countries paid attention to them and considered the Millennium Development Goals, and these seventeen goals are represented in (poverty - hunger - health - education - climate change. - Gender equality - water - sanitation - energy - environment - social justice), which are all goals for solving many social and economic development issues, and on top of these goals, which represent the starting point for reforming any society, is the concern for good provision that meets the needs of the individual and society and keeps pace with global trends For development and development, the fourth goal of the sustainable development goals stipulates “ensuring quality, equitable and inclusive education for all and enhancing lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Hence, the state began targeting education as a necessity within etc. The strategic plan of the state 2030 and its main goal, stemming from the sustainable development goals of education, is “to provide education and training for all with high quality without discrimination and in an institutional framework, efficient, just and sustainable, and to be centered on the learner who is able to think and is technically, technically and technically capable, in addition to building an integrated personality and unleashing its potential The maximum extent is for a self-proud citizen, and Egypt’s vision 2030 is an embodiment of the spirit of the Constitution of Egypt 2014, which states in Article (19) Chapter Two “The basic constituents of society” that: “Education is a right for every citizen with the aim of building the Egyptian personality, preserving the national identity and rooting the scientific approach to thinking and developing Talents, encouraging innovation, consolidating civilized and spiritual values, and establishing concepts of citizenship, tolerance and non-discrimination. The state is committed to observing its goals in educational curricula and methods, and providing it in accordance with international quality standards.Consequently, and through the above, the interest in providing quality education has become an urgent necessity. A national framework for comprehensive education reform in Egypt has been developed to achieve a qualitative leap in unifying concepts and focusing efforts on achieving the goals and priorities of the state with regard to education by setting major axes, namely: It has been adopted1. Where do we want to be in the future?2. How can we achieve what we want?3. Ensuring that we are moving in the right direction?

* Abbreviations: HBB — : Helping Babies Breathe HRH — : human resources for health LMICs — : low-income and lower-middle–income countries QI — : quality improvement SDG — : Sustainable Development Goal WHO — : World Health Organization On the eve of the 10th anniversary of Helping Babies Breathe (HBB), we are clearly on the precipice of a new era. Currently, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has made in-person gatherings challenging, if not impossible. Health systems are stretched far beyond the typical limits. We see innovation in infection control approaches, personal protective equipment, and communication with health care professionals and families. Crisis can be the stimulus for innovation, and this will surely spur a new approach to preparation of health care workers. This preparation will go far beyond traditional concepts of training and is best conceptualized as supporting the success of health care workers as measured by their impact within a health system on the population it serves. After all, if the health of a population is not supported or improving, the health care worker is not achieving his or her goal. HBB was launched in 2010 during the Millennium Development Goals era, in which the world set 8 measurable goals that ranged from halving extreme poverty and hunger to reducing child mortality by the target date of 2015. At this time, there was a critical need to develop training materials that could be used at a local level in resource-limited settings without relying on sophisticated technology. HBB materials are available for free online and are easily downloadable so that they can be used by those with intermittent Internet access. Hard copies of the materials can be purchased or printed locally in-country. Countless labor and delivery units have the action plan hanging on the wall near the site of resuscitation, and thousands of flip charts for training … Address correspondence to Janna Patterson, MD, MPH, Global Child Health and Life Support, American Academy of Pediatrics, 345 Park Blvd, Itasca, IL 60613. E-mail: jpatterson{at}aap.org

Obstacles of providing exclusive breastfeeding among working mothers using social-ecological theory Background: The coverage of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in Indonesia was increased to 38% but it was lower than the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target (80%). One of the influence factors is to return to work. Society assumed that a mother who stays at home more successful to provide EBF than working mothers. A previous study indicated that some obstacles become early cessation factors among working mothers. Objective: To explore the obstacle of breastfeeding using social-ecological theory. Methods: Qualitative research inquiry based on phenomenology design. Informants were chosen through purposive sampling. Inclusion criteria were working mothers who succeeded provide exclusive breastfeeding, had children age 6-24 months, lived, and formally worked at Manado. Data triangulation was conducted through in-depth interviews with the manager/supervisor/colleague. Data collected using in-depth interviews and observation. Results: A total of twelve informants have interviewed consists of six working mothers and six triangulation informants. The result indicated that lack of confidence was related to providing exclusive breastfeeding. This is caused by family influence, culture, health provider, and lack of awareness from the working place. A support group was the main factors that influence the mother to overcome all obstacles. Conclusions: The main obstacles for working mothers to provide EBF come from interpersonal factors that determined by other factors: intrapersonal, organizational, community. Therefore working mothers need breastfeeding preparation since early pregnancy to decrease breastfeeding obstacles.

The World Bank Group (WBG) has a contractual relationship with the United Nations (UN), which has a history of its founding, and through that relationship acts to form an association that supports member states and results in development. Contributes Effectively, over the years, the WBG has collaborated with the United Nations in virtually all regions and sectors to protect the different mandates of each organization, and its commitment deepens as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are adopted and now with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Toady poverty is a challenge for the World and a lot of individuals living below the poverty line. According to World Bank billions of individuals live in extreme poverty i.e. below 1.9$ per day. Around one billion people around the World live in extreme poverty, The World Bank vision 2030, that to eradicate poverty across the globe and that’s why they set SDGs with UN for the betterment of the community and individuals live equally and have access to their basic necessities of life. The United nation’s 17 SDGs are a joint venture for the better and more sustainable future of our planet and its inhabitants. The UN & World Bank placed poverty eradication is goal number one among 17 sustainable development goals and we can see the importance of the poverty eradication among SDGs goals. Towards achieving of SDGs number I, this study takes the Khushal Garh village of the Malakand District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan as a case study, and sees that how the efforts are made for the attainment of SDGs of WBG and UN, and the people are getting better from their previous life style. This paper also highlights some factors which cause poverty in the country. This model can also be used by other countries in their respective context and will lead the eradication of poverty in terms of health care and educational facilities, which results the socioeconomic development of a community.

The coronavirus pandemic has been going on since the beginning of 2020. The new virus was originally discovered in China. All countries in the world are inseparable from the threat of the coronavirus, including Indonesia. During a pandemic, many changes occur in the fabric of society. All activities outside the home are avoided, direct encounters with other people are also avoided. Quarantine is carried out in various regions to reduce exposure to the virus. As a result of this social restriction, the community has suffered a lot of losses. Many people have lost their jobs and income, and the many changes in habits or activities that have to be undertaken have made society uncertain. In previous studies, there has been a review of adaptation strategies carried out to survive or survive amid such rapid changes. This study discusses alternatives to community empowerment that can be carried out amid the coronavirus pandemic, especially during the period new normal. The research uses a literature study research method, namely by finding secondary data through theses, journals, or other text sources in finding the data used in this study. The authors relate the problems faced, especially during the pandemic, with a summary of the Millennium Development Goals. This is because the pandemic indirectly hinders the realization of people’s welfare, the points of which are listed in the millennium development goals. After categorizing the problems, the authors look for several alternatives to community empowerment that can be adapted from programs that have been implemented in the past. Then, the authors describe the benefits that can be obtained from community empowerment carried out during the coronavirus pandemic, especially or especially during the transition to the new normal.

Billions of people globally gained access to improved drinking water sources and sanitation in the last decades, following effort towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Global progress remains a general indicator as it is unclear if access is equitable across groups of the population. Agenda 2030 calling for `leaving no one behind', there is a need to focus on the variations of access in different groups of the population, especially in the context of low- and middle-income countries including Malawi. We analyzed data from Demographic Health Survey (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) to describe emerging trends on progress and inequalities in water supply and sanitation services over a 25-year period (1992–2017), as well as to identify the most vulnerable populations in Malawi. Data were disaggregated with geographic and socio-economic characteristics including regions, urban and rural areas, wealth and education level. Analysis of available data revealed progress in access to water and sanitation among all groups of the population. The largest progress was generally observed in the groups that were further behind at the baseline year, which likely reflects good targeting in interventions/improvements to reduce the gap in the population. Overall, results demonstrated that some segments of the population – foremost poorest Southern rural populations – still have limited access to water and are forced to practise open defecation. Finally, we suggest including standardized indicators that address safely managed drinking water and sanitation services in future surveys and studies to increase the accuracy of national estimates.

Exterminating poverty and inequality is a present challenge that the SDGs want to overcome. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) itself is a continuation of the previous platform of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which was designed by the United Nations and agreed upon by 193 countries. SDGs applied with universal principles, integrity, and inclusive to ensure that all arties can involve without exception, with the name No One Left Behind. The SDGs have 17 goals and 169 achievement targets, hich expected to realize in 2030. Zakat contribution to support SDGs is also supported by Law No. 23 of 2011 concerning Management of Zakat, which states that zakat is a religious institution that aims to improve justice and welfare of the community. Besides, specifically in Article 3 of the same Act, it explains that the management of zakat intended; 1) Increase the effectiveness and efficiency of services in the management of zakat, 2) Increase the benefits of zakat to realize community welfare and poverty reduction.

Background There is high rate of under-five mortality in West Africa with little effort made to study determinants that significantly increase or decrease its risk across the West African sub-region. This is important since it will help in the design of effective intervention programs for each country or the entire region. The overall objective of this research evaluates the determinants of under-five mortality prior to the end of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals, to guide West African countries implement strategies that will aid them achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3 by 2030. Method This study used the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from twelve (12) out of the eighteen West African countries; Ghana, Benin, Cote d’ Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Gambia and Togo. Data were extracted from the children and women of reproductive age files as provided in the DHS report. The response or outcome variable of interest is under-five mortality rate. A Bayesian exponential, Weibull and Gompertz regression models via a gamma shared frailty model were used for the analysis. The deviance information criteria and Bayes factors were used to discriminate between models. These analyses were carried out using Stata version 15 software. Results The study recorded 101 (95% CI: 98.6–103.5) deaths per 1000 live births occurring among the twelve countries. Burkina Faso (124.4), Cote D’lvoire (110.1), Guinea (116.4), Nigeria (120.6) and Niger (118.3) recorded the highest child under-5 mortality rate. Gambia (48.1), Ghana (60.1) and Benin (70.4) recorded the least unde-5 mortality rate per 1000 livebirths. Multiple birth children were about two times more likely to die compared to singleton birth, in all except Gambia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. We observed significantly higher hazard rates for male compared to female children in the combined data analysis (HR: 1.14, 95% CI: [1.10–1.18]). The country specific analysis in Benin, Cote D’lvoire, Guinea, Liberia, Mali and Nigeria showed higher under-5 mortality hazard rates among male children compared to female children whilst Niger was the only country to report significantly lower hazard rate of males compared to females. Conclusion There is still quite a substantial amount of work to be done in order to meet the Sustainable Development Goal 3 in 2030 in West Africa. There exist variant differences among some of the countries with respect to mortality rates and determinants which require different interventions and policy decisions.

The theme of this paper is centred on the application of Results Based Management (RBM) as a tool to achieve high quality management standards and enhance performance. It is originated from the ‘Theory of Change’ which is pursued globally to reap investment benefits. Whereas the corporate sector utilizes tools like the ISO 9000 series and Total Quality Management (TQM) guidelines, the Not for Profit (NPO) sector has developed its own quality approaches by trial and error. One of the much appreciated methodologies among United Nations (UN) agencies and NPOs is the concept and practice of Results Based Management (RBM). Since its adoption by the UN system in 1997, RBM is known as the ‘Gold Standard' among its practitioners. This particular perspective has neither been debated in the Quality Management context nor in RBM literature. However, due to successful and continued adherence to RBM practice by the UN agencies and member states in planning, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and its successor agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it has become imperative to discuss the RBM role in Quality Management. Overall it is partly a description of this extraordinary management concept and practice and partly a fusion of experiences of the authors in the UN agencies and NPO sector.

The United Nations (UN) has undertaken several international efforts known as the sustainable development plan to preserve the right of development for future generations. This article presents a summary of the previous Millennium Development Goals 2015 (MDGs) that failed to include all people in the sustainability agenda, especially the vulnerable ones. As this situation has widened the society’s gap, the new Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SDGs 2030) aims to incorporate the concept of inclusiveness in the current development work. This article aims to highlight the challenges to materialize a successful inclusion in the SDGs 2030. It should be explored in more detail to ensure that it can be adequately addressed for the plan to succeed. This writing is based on a pure legal research framework using qualitative methods. Data were collected through library studies and analyzed critically using content analysis method. This paper identifies that stigma and discrimination, special privileges and lack of data are among the barriers in implementing the concept of inclusivity in the SDGs 2030. Therefore, the paper proposes that laws and policy must be established to support this cause. Besides that, the privileges granted must be balanced with assistance to the vulnerable people in order to achieve equality. As for data collection, countries all around the world must work hand in hand to continue making efforts in gathering comprehensive data of the vulnerable groups.

The Millennium Development Goals of 2000 to 2015 have been replaced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of 2015 to 2030. How can these global aspirations guide sociologists in bringing our knowledge, skills, and insights to achieve justice and equality of opportunity? This essay relates each of the SDGs to our fundamental expertise.

Purpose of Review In this commentary, we summarize and put into perspective the recent information that highlights the associations between coronavirus disease and poverty. We also bring attention to another dimension that will most likely exacerbate the severity and long-term sequelae of COVID-19 in impoverished populations, that is, the comorbidities and the presence of tropical infections. Recent Findings During this first half of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a poverty-related neglected disease on at least two fronts. First, is its significant impact in low-income neighborhoods in the USA, the epicenter of the pandemic. Second, is its emergence in poor urban areas of South America, and now in Asia and Africa. In both fronts, the pandemic is contributing heavily towards the loss of public health gains that we managed to achieve globally during the last two decades. Specifically, any advances made as part of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (United Nations, 2020) is eroding, and for the first time, the number of people entering extreme poverty is increasing. Adding to this descent into poverty are new disruptions in ongoing disease control programs, routine vaccination strategies, and a reduction of capacity building efforts globally. Therefore, and as highlighted by many others, we support the notion that a way forward to eliminate this coronavirus pandemic should include linking COVID-19 control to other tropical or poverty-related diseases. Summary COVID-19 is slowing or reversing global health and development gains. To be successful and achieve the global goals including the control of pandemics such as the one seen from the COVID-19, we must rely on strong leadership leading to impactful public policies and global collaborations, including global COVID-19 vaccinations, and potentially linking them to programs for childhood and adult vaccinations and programs for malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and neglected tropical disease treatments. Opportunities also include the creation of unique research opportunities and funding models and increase science engagement for international diplomacy. This can only be done with a better understanding of the relationships between coronavirus disease, poverty, and tropical diseases.

As the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ended, the United Nations followed them up with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of the goals, Life Below Water, is very strategic to Indonesia given its position as the biggest maritime archipelagic nation in the world. However, Indonesia’s life below water faces threats as pollutants from human activities end up in the sea. Using Structural Human Ecology (SHE) theory, this article discusses the issue using cases in Jakarta and Bali and how the two provinces have dealt with the problem. Employing the qualitative method through document analyses, this study found that the two provinces have used different approaches in solving the problem. While Jakarta has its law regarding the issue, Bali has more progressive law in curbing the disposal of waste, especially plastic, to the river leading to the sea. Law enforcement and education have become the keys to ensuring that industrial and domestic actors to stop irresponsible disposal of waste.

Critical discourse analysis is employed to examine discourses of the private sector within key texts of the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Taking a genealogical approach, four discourses are identified in the literature: the dominant, pro-private sector discourse, showing unconditional support for the private sector; the sceptical discourse; the middle-ground discourse with new approaches, specifically designed to leverage development relevance; and the antiprivate sector discourse, which considers that current approaches to the private sector will not be conducive to sustainable development of the global South. The pro-private sector discourse was found to be predominant within the global goals, reflecting the post-Washington Consensus as well as the role of the developed countries and the corporate sector in their formulation. All discourses on the private sector, however, place an emphasis on economic and social development at the expense of the key environmental component of sustainable development.

espanolEste ensayo analiza la problematica de Genero con relacion a los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de las Naciones Unidas. Primero se refiere a los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio como antecedente de los ODS. Luego se relata como se dio la necesidad de pensar en un nuevo desarrollo mundial en donde el empoderamiento de mujeres y ninas es fundamental. Mas adelante se analiza los avances y desafios de los ODS examinando los avances y desafios en la transversalizacion del enfoque de genero. Finalmente se reflexiona sobre el papel de los ODS y genero en el contexto de la pandemia COVID – 2019. EnglishThis essay analyzes Gender issues in relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. First, it refers to the Millennium Development Goals as antecedent to the SDGs. Then, it is related how the need arose to think about a new world development where the empowerment of women and girls is essential. The progress and challenges of the SDGs are discussed below, examining the progress and challenges in mainstreaming the gender approach. Finally, the role of the SDGs and gender in the context of the pandemic COVID - 2019 is reflected.

This paper contributes to the debate on the Sustainable Development Goals progress by evaluating the MDGs achievements in South Asia and the policy and institutional challenges deriving from such experience. Using cross-country regressions and aggregate indicators of poverty, health, education and gender parity outcomes, we offer three sets of findings. First, comparative evidence shows that, while South Asia has converged with richer regions, there is still significant variation in gender equality, universal primary education, and income poverty achievements across countries. Second, projections based on past trends on where SDGs are expected to be by 2030 reveal that there is a long way to go, where emblematic targets as income poverty eradication may not be met in the populous South Asian countries. Finally, considering the expanded set of development targets in the SDGs and the growth slowdown in South Asia, we argue that further progress would simultaneously require increased public spending on health and education and reforms improving state capacity. A simulation exercise confirms that such a combination of interventions would deliver significant benefits in the region, particularly in areas that are critical to progress on the goals of ‘No Poverty’, ‘Quality Education’, ‘Gender Equality’, and ‘Inclusive Growth’.

Background The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) availed opportunities for scaling up service coverage but called for stringent monitoring and evaluation (M&E) focusing mainly on MDG related programs. The Sustainable Development Goals 3 (SDGs) and the universal health coverage (UHC) agenda present a broader scope and require more sophisticated M&E systems. We assessed the readiness of low- and middle-income countries to monitor SDG 3. Methods Employing mixed methods, we reviewed health sector M&E plans of 6 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Region to assess the challenges to M&E, the indicator selection pattern and the extent of multisectoral collaboration. Qualitative data were analysed using content thematic analysis while quantitative data were analysed using Excel. Results Challenges to monitoring SDG 3 include weak institutional capacity; fragmentation of M&E functions; inadequate domestic financing; inadequate data availability, dissemination and utilization of M&E products. The total number of indictors in the reviewed plans varied from 38 for Zimbabwe to 235 for Zanzibar. Sixty-nine percent of indicators for the Gambia and 89% for Zanzibar were not classified in any domain in the M&E results chain. Countries lay greater M&E emphasis on service delivery, health systems, maternal and child health as well as communicable diseases with a seeming neglect of the non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Inclusion of SDG 3 indicators only ranged from 48% for Zanzibar to 67% for Kenya. Although monitoring SDG 3 calls for multisectoral collaboration, consideration of the role of other sectors in the M&E plans was either absent or limited to the statistical departments. Conclusion There are common challenges confronting M&E at county-level. Countries have omitted key indicators for monitoring components of the SDG 3 targets especially those on NCDs and injuries. The role of other sectors in monitoring SDG 3 targets is not adequately reflected. These could be bottlenecks to tracking progress towards SDG 3 if not addressed. Beyond providing compendium of indicators to guide countries, we advocate for a more binding minimum set of indicators for all countries to which they may add depending on their context. Ministries of Health (MoHs) should prioritise M&E as an important pillar for health service planning and implementation and not as an add-on activity.

The rise of evidence-based policy has brought with it an increase in the use of indicators and data-driven global projects. The United Nations System has used the indicator-based Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) projects to govern policy from above. Of particular interest in this article is how indicators are used to govern gender equality initiatives within the Goals. By using ‘governance by indicators’ as a framework for understanding global policy processes, we can better understand how the power of indicators can help or hinder progress towards gender equality depending on the extent to which it renders gendered concerns visible. Studying indicators in this forum also illuminates spaces of contestation, where policy actors can debate indicators and reshape meaning. Based on this framework, this article explores UN Women’s feminist critique of measurement and knowledge production in the MDGs and SDGs. Looking through their feminist lens applied to this form of knowledge production can yield a better understanding of the use of indicators in shaping evidence-based policy from the global level. In recognizing the value of quantification and data-driven evidence in policy, this article speaks to the tension between feminist critique of quantitative knowledge production and the feminist approach’s welcoming of multiple ways of knowing.

PurposeEradicating extreme poverty remains one of the most significant and challenging sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region. The latest World Bank statistics from 2018 show that extreme poverty in MENA increased from 2.6% to 5% between 2013 and 2015. MENA ranks third among developing regions for extreme poverty and fell short of halving extreme poverty by 2015 – the target established by the United Nations’ (UN) millennium development goals, the precursor to the SDGs. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of financial inclusion on extreme poverty for a sample of 34 countries over the period 1990–2017.Design/methodology/approachUsing system general method of moments dynamic panel estimation methodology on annual data for 11 MENA countries and 23 emerging markets (EMs) over the period 1990 – 2017, this study begins by estimating the impact of financial inclusion – using measures of access and usage – on the eradication of extreme poverty by 2030, the first goal of the SDGs.FindingsThe results of the study indicate that, on one hand, financial access measures have a positive, statistically significant impact on reducing extreme poverty for the full sample and the MENA region. The second part of the study uses a gap analysis against four poverty targets – 0%, 1.5%, 3% and 5% – and shows that no MENA country and few EM countries will be able to close the extreme poverty gap and reach the target of 0% by 2030 by depending solely on improvements in financial access. These targets are based on the two benchmarks set by the World Bank and the UN, with intermediaries to capture error and give a fuller picture of what is possible. However, if improvements in financial inclusion alone can bring every EM and MENA country except Djibouti and Romania to bring the most accessible target of reducing global extreme poverty to no more than 5% by 2030.Originality/valueWhile research on poverty reduction in the region tends to focus on financial development and governance, less attention has been paid to the role of financial inclusion. SDG 1 – eliminating poverty in all its forms – explicitly highlights the importance of access to financial services. Indeed, evidence from Argentina, India, Kenya, Malawi, Niger and other countries demonstrates the ways in which financial inclusion can impact poverty (Klapper, El-Zoghbi and Hess, 2016). When people are included in the financial system, they are better able to improve their health, invest in education and business and make choices that benefit their entire families. Financial inclusion advances governments, too: introducing vast segments of the population into the financial system by digitizing social transfers, for example, can cut government costs and reduce leakage, with benefits that ripple across society. Yet, the links between financial inclusion and poverty reduction in MENA are less established. This study aims to analyze the importance of financial inclusion in addressing extreme poverty by 2030, the year UN member states set as a target for achieving the SDGs.

Introduction: Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) play an important role in decreasing the morbidity and mortality associated with poor WASH practices. Poor knowledge and awareness lead to an increase in communicable diseases. Objective: To assess and report the core indicators on sanitation and drinking water from urban slums using standardized WHO and UNICEF questionnaires. Materials and Methodology: The present observational cross-sectional study was conducted for 2 months i.e., from September 2019 to October 2019 in urban slums of Trikuta Nagar, a field practice area of Department of Community Medicine, GMC Jammu. Information was gathered from the head of the household as well as from other household members. About 50% of the population were selected randomly by lottery method i.e., 450 and consist of 112 households. However, at the time of the study, only 100 households were assessed because of the nonavailability of household members and some houses were locked at the time of the interview. Results: The study revealed that nearly 62% of families were of a joint type and most of the families were headed by male members. Around 82.5% of the slum members used water for drinking from improved source but only 21.5% of the household members used adequate water treatment method i.e., boiling. Besides, about 49.5% of the household members used improved sanitation facilities. Conclusion: Local administration needs to accelerate the process of supplying piped water connections to the underserved to improve their drinking water sources and also increase access to basic sanitation services at the household level.

In March 2017, the United Nations (UN) Statistical Commission adopted a measurement framework for the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, comprising of 232 indicators designed to measure the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their respective 169 targets. The scope of this measurement framework is so ambitious it led Mogens Lykketoft, President of the seventieth session of the UN General Assembly, to describe it as an ‘unprecedented statistical challenge’. Naturally, with a programme of this magnitude, there will be foreseen and unforeseen challenges and consequences. This article outlines some of the key differences between the Millennium Development Goals and the SDGs, before detailing some of the measurement challenges involved in compiling the SDG indicators, and examines some of the unanticipated consequences arising from the mechanisms put in place to measure progress from a broad political economy perspective.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have gained a lot of interest due to the partial success of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in eradication of poverty and human development. India has taken a lot of initiatives to meet the targets for the same and have achieved progress in this regard. The MDGs were particularly helpful in communicating a clear purpose of development aid to mobilize public support. The SDGs seek to address not only the root causes of poverty but also the universal need for sustained development to provide a life of dignity to all. The main objectives of the present study are; to examine the performance of Millennium Development goals (MDGs) and make a comparison with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India; to compare the compo nent wise progress and policy initiatives of MDGs and SDGs in India; and to analyze the current progress of SDGs in India and also make a comparison among Indian states using the report of SDG India Index 2019. The data has collected from various official publications of UN, Government of India, NITI Aayog, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. The present study finds that SDG proposals will ensure momentum generated by MDGs is carried through to 2030 to end deprivations. India’s achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals will require a focus on the acceleration of inclusive economic growth; guaranteed access to comprehensive social services; vast investment in basic infrastructure and women’s empowerment. The present study is an attempt to analyze these issues in India .

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015, succeeding the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While the MDGs focused on improving well-being in the developing world, the 17 SDGs address all countries and aim at reconciling economic and social with ecological goals. We adopt a social ecology perspective and critically reflect on the SDGs’ potential for monitoring, supporting, and bringing about a transformation towards sustainability. Starting from a literature review on the SDGs, we link empirical findings from social ecology with analyses of SDG targets and indicators. First, we find that the SDGs fail to monitor absolute trends in resource use and thus prioritize economic growth over ecological integrity. Second, we discuss the contradictions between economic growth and sustainable resource use in early and late stages of industrialization processes and show that they are responsible for important trade-offs among SDG targets. Third, we analyze the transformative potential of the SDGs with a focus on the actors and institutions addressed to bring about transformative change. We find that the SDGs rely mainly on those institutions responsible for unsustainable resource use, and partly propose measures that even reinforce current trends towards less sustainability. Despite ascertaining limited transformative potential to the SDGs from an analytical perspective, we conclude by stressing the strategic relevance of the SDGs for visions, research, and practices of statt towards transformative change towards sustainability.

With the end of the era of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), thoughts have arisen to re-search for internationally agreed development goals. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are one of them. In this research, sustainable development is described as a balance of economic, social and environmental development. The purpose of this study is to analyze the Sustainable Development Index in West Sumatra Province which is described as a balance of economic, social and environmental development. Sustainable development achievements are measured using a partial approach between indicators. The development indicators partially indicate progress in the economic and social fields.The Sustainable Development Index (IPB), which is a composite of the GRDP, IPM and IKLH also gives the same message. By using multiple linear regression analysis, the results show that the human development index has the most influence on sustainable development in West Sumatra with a coefficient of 0.792.

Achieving the millennium development goals (MDGs) and sustainable development goals (SDGs) including gender equality, reducing maternal, neonatal, and under 5 mortality rates are still considered a major global challenge. This study was performed with the aim of investigating the relationship between global gender equality and maternal as well as neonatal, and under 5 children health indicators.The present study is an ecological study performed through credible secondary data published in 2017 for each country. Then, the Gender Equality Index along with its four areas, maternal mortality, neonatal mortality, and under 5 mortality rates were extracted. Data analysis was performed by SPSS 24 via descriptive-analytical statistics and linear regression.There was a significant and direct correlation between all of the three variables of maternal mortality, neonatal, as well as under 5 mortality and Gender Equality Index. Correlation analysis between the above-mentioned indicators and the areas of Gender Equality Index showed that there is no significant correlation between the "economic opportunities and participation" index and none of the maternal, neonatal, and under 5 mortality indicators. The "educational attainment" index had an inverse significant correlation with the above-mentioned variables. The "survival and health" index had only an inverse significant correlation with neonatal mortality, and "political empowerment" had such a correlation with neonatal and under 5 mortality rates.Panning and policymaking for reducing gender equality barriers should be among the top priorities of primary healthcare in order to achieve maternal, neonatal, and under 5 health universally.

The history of the millennium development goals (MDGs), the achievement of which experienced a major setback with the outbreak of the 2008 global economic and financial crisis, may provide some useful insights on the global partnership for the sustainable development goals (SDGs). There is a vast literature devoted to the MDGs. Most of the analysis is focused on the implementation and progress made toward achieving the MDGs. Fewer authors explore reasons for shortfalls or describe intrinsic limitations to the MDG framework, including limitations in the development, formulation and content of the MDGs themselves. This article reviews cooperation on the MDGs, exploring the priorities of different stakeholders and the challenges to progress inthe broader context of development and global governance.The review focuses on MDG 8, developing a global partnership for development. Added to the MDGs due to Kofi Annan’s leadership, MDG 8 helped to attract support from developing countries which viewed the MDGs as reflecting a one-sided deal favouring the interests of rich countries. Inclusion of the goal to reform the international economic system appeased some critics of the international development goals that were put forward by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and taken as the basis for the MDGs. This article argues that despite the endeavour by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to steer the development of global partnerships, extrinsic barriers such as lack of political will on the part of the key stakeholders, the financial crisis, and vested interests prevented deliveryon MDG 8’s key target ofdeveloping an open, predictable, rule-based, non-discriminatory trading and economic system. Achievement of this goal is necessary in order to create the equitable and inclusive international order demanded by developing countries for decades. Most markedly, a lack of progress on MDG 8’s goal of addressing systemic issues of global economic governance became the greatest challenge to achieving the MDGs, and the greatest disappointment. Systemic problems were inherited by the SDGs, the achievement of which requires a truly global partnership able to build a new economic order as a foundation for inclusive and sustainable development. This review draws on content analysis of General Assembly resolutions and the official records of its 55th to 70th sessions, documents from the three conferences on financing for development, the crisis summit, reports on MDG results, and public statements and analytical narratives about the MDGs

This study examined predictors of households’ calorie demand using consumer expenditure survey data during the time frame of millennium development goals. It draws suggestions for achieving sustainable development goals to eliminate calorie-poverty. We used the log of per-capita calorie intake as the calorie demand. Endogeneity corrected quantile regression was applied to examine the distributional effect of predictors. Findings revealed calorie-monthly per-capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) elasticities were positively statistically significant across quantiles in rural-and urban-areas, but, contrary to traditional wisdom, elasticities are lower for calorie-poor than calorie-rich households. Dietary diversification of food items, relative food price, and share of medical-and education-expenditure were the main adverse drivers of calorie demand. Our results are robust to the under-reporting and measurement error. The policy implications are: (a) only focusing on pro-poor income enhancing strategies will not able to reduce calorie deprivation, it should be backed by imparting awareness about food choice and nutritional value of low price food items, (b) to implement necessary policy to maintain stable food inflation and effectively targeted food subsidy for calorie poor, (c) to adopt forward-looking medical-and education-policy such as free health and education facilities to all by enhancing public spending to revive the quality of public hospitals and educational institutions.

This study investigates the influence of household socioeconomic status and maternal risk factors and health-care service availability on changes in the under-five mortality rate (U5MR) in Bangladesh. Potential risk factors that influence U5MRs were investigated using multilevel logistic regression analysis and 29,697 data points from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys, 2004–2014. Maternal and child health parameters such as childhood morbidity, low vaccination coverage, poor utilization of perinatal care, and malnutrition were found to be more concentrated in poorer households. Pooled estimates indicated that the aggregate odds of U5MR risk declined by 18% to 2007 to 38% to 2014 compared to 2004. However, inadequate antenatal care, short birth interval, primiparity, illiteracy, delayed conception, and low socioeconomic status were significantly associated with a higher risk of under-five mortality. The magnitude of inequality using these measures were significantly associated with large variations in U5MR changes. Although a significant reduction in U5MR in Bangladesh was found in this study, substantial socioeconomic variations still persist. The analysis suggests that decreasing inequality in society is required for further reductions in child mortality. This will help to achieve a more equitable distribution of child and neonatal outcomes and assist the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 3.2 by 2030.

The article focuses on Norwegian pupils’ negotiations of meaning in images of social inequality in A World at Stake, a circulating museum exhibition in Denmark, Norway and Sweden that addressed the...

Aim The review was conducted to collate the evidence on the current status of "Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health" (RMNCAH) and related Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) interventions in RMNCAH in South Asia, particularly Bangladesh, Nepal and India. Methods Literature search was conducted on multiple databases and websites in March 2019. The search was limited to English language publications. The data on health indicators for the eight South Asian countries are compared in the review. This review narratively summarises the key RMNCAH and related BCC initiatives undertaken in Bangladesh, Nepal and India. Results The South Asian countries have achieved significant progress in socio-economic indicators related to health aligned with the Millennium Development Goals but face a number of challenges. There has been a significant development in financial incentives, programmes and policies framed for improving indicators of maternal and child health. Various RMNCAH initiatives which impact positively on maternal and child health indicators were identified. Conclusion Bangladesh, Nepal and India have made substantial improvement in maternal and child health indicators but at a slower pace than other countries of South Asia, in relation to which consistent disparities still exist. There are a number of BCC initiatives targeting RMNCAH. The improvement in RMNCAH indicators can be attributed to multiple initiatives wherein the contribution of BCC is relevant, because of their wide community outreach and effectiveness among all age-groups.

Infant mortality rate (IMR) is an important development indicator and a vital component of millennium development goals (MDGs) set by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). According to UNDP, so far India has only fared moderately in reducing IMR (Goal 4 of MDGs). India (32) ranks 144th among 196 countries regarding IMR as per the 2017 data availed from World Development Indicators. Its adjacent countries such as Bhutan (25.6), Bangladesh (26.9) and Nepal (27.8) have fared much better regarding infant survival. Numbers within the parentheses indicate the IMR of the respective country. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has identified that IMR among families with better access to improved drinking water sources and toilet is much lower than those bereft of the same. This inference has been drawn from National Family Health Survey 3 data (NFHS III). The present study investigates into the aforementioned relation analysing NFHS IV data. The result depicts that contrary to UNICEF’s findings, IMR increases with better accessibility to improved water sources. Further to this, the article shows that an additional aqua-related practice together with improved drinking water sources might lead to the betterment of IMR for India.