| Millennium Development Goals |
The United Nations Millennium Declaration of September 2000, which serves as an overarching guide for UNESCO’s Strategy, consolidated the broad consensus reached and agreed on specific time-bound targets. A set of International Development Goals (IDGs) defines select major components of a global agenda for the twenty-first century.
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| Bilingual class at Footscray Primary School (Australia) |
©UNESCO/Mario Borg
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By 2015 all 191 United Nations Member States have pledged to:
Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger: Halve the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day and who suffer from hunger.
Achieve universal primary education: Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling.
Promote gender equality and empower women: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015.
Reduce child mortality: Reduced by two thirds the mortality rate among children under five.
Improve maternal health: Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio.
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases: Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS and the incidence of malaria and other major diseases.
Ensure environmental sustainability: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources. Halve the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and significantly improve the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by 2020.
UNESCO and the UN Millennium Development Goals
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Freedom of expression 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
The movement towards democratic governance and more liberal press laws is gaining momentum worldwide. Using this new impetus, UNESCO has defined a new communication strategy aimed at strengthening freedom of expression and of the press, achieving better-balanced dissemination of information, and boosting the communication capacities of developing countries so that they can play a more active part in the communication process. More |
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Protecting the environment 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
There can be no future for humanity if it destroys the material base of life, the natural environment. Building a sustainable future depends on knowledgeable citizens and decision-makers negotiating trade-offs between the competing needs of polluting economic production, subsistence farming and a livable habitat. More |
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Culture of peace 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
Today there are still some 50 armed conflicts – mostly civil strife – killing people in more than 40 countries. The sources of tension include also environmental degradation, desertification, overpopulation, competition for dwindling fresh water supplies, malnutrition and the stark economic inequality between rich and poor countries. More |
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Terrorism, human security and sustainable development 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
UNESCO is called upon today, as never before since its creation, to contribute to the unity of human kind by upholding human dignity, equality, solidarity, the culture of peace, tolerance, respect for human rights and democratic principles. More |
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Eradication of poverty 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
The eradication of poverty has become the overriding international target. Poverty is a denial of human rights and the very antithesis of development. More |
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Growth with equity 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
For many, globalization means marginalization. Many developing societies are experiencing enormous pressures as they struggle to cope and shape their destiny and to attain growth with equity. More |
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Promoting education 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
UNESCO’s mission to promote education is central to all its tasks and for its international standing. To provide quality education for all is a paramount challenge for all countries. More |
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VIH/AIDS 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
Education is a key feature in the global campaign to fight HIV/AIDS. The impact of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases in many countries is as devastating as any war. More |
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Digital divide 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
Recently, much international attention has been paid to the digital divide. It accentuates disparities in development, excluding entire groups and countries from the potential benefits of digital opportunities in networked knowledge societies. More |
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Ethical reflection 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
Biogenetics, new technologies, medical discoveries and other scientific advances define areas requiring ethical reflection and eventually normative action through the formulation of pertinent policies and instruments. More |
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Cultural diversity 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
In the pursuit of its multi-pronged mission, UNESCO faces also new types of challenges : to promote cultural diversity, to preserve the world’s heritage, including its intangible domains, and to foster dialogue among cultures and among civilizations. More |
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Universal Norms and Values 31 C/4 Extracts - UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2002-2007)
Globalization has injected new relevance and added new dimensions to UNESCO’s longstanding mission to bolster respect for universal norms and values. Observing human rights and contributing to their enjoyment, tolerance, freedom of the press, and a commitment to the enhancement of quality of life and well being remain ongoing tasks for the Organization. More |
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