MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
The Hon Stephen Smith MP and The Hon Bob McMullan MP
The United Nations Millennium Development Goals Report 2009 highlights the progress that the world is making in the fight against poverty and the fact that more needs to be done, particularly in the face of the global recession, to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The report confirms the world's progress in reducing those living in extreme poverty from one-half of the population of developing countries in 1990 to one-quarter in 2005.
This is something we should be proud of but these gains are threatened by the global recession and continued efforts by developed countries will be necessary.
To this end, Australia has restated its commitment to increase its development assistance to 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income by 2015-16.
The report highlights the substantial progress that has been made in primary school enrolments – up 5per cent from 2000 to 88 per cent in 2007.
Education at all levels is critical to the achievement of all MDGs and is the flagship of Australia's aid program.
The report finds that child mortality has fallen from 12.6 million deaths for children under five in 1990 to 9 million in 2007. It also points to the need for sustained efforts to improve health levels in the developing world, particularly for women and children.
In the coming year, Australia will focus on basic health services, essential items such as pharmaceutical supplies and immunisation and improving maternal and child health.
The report also highlights that the Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa are the regions least likely to achieve the MDGs. These findings reinforce the Government's commitment to retain the Pacific at the core of Australia's development assistance program and to do more to assist in Africa.