UN Millennium Human Development Goals

I was reading through the UN Millenium Human Development Goals the other day for research at work.

Human Development Report 2003, Millennium Development Goals: A compact among nations to end human poverty.


As I reflect back upon this report, among the goals that I recall from the report:

-Reducing child mortality
-Increasing access to basic health care
-Increasing access to education
-Spreading democracy and democratic practices
-Reducing violent conflicts around the globe
-Reducing violence against women and empowering women

Aren't these American values? Aren't these moral values? Wouldn't you like to see an American foreign policy that supported these goals as a primary objective?

Wouldn't such a foreign policy lay the groundwork for putting an end to terrorism?

I have a hard time understanding those who oppose the UN as an institution and its mission.

By the way, the world is currently falling short on reaching these goals.

Comments

Bill Baar said…
Read David Brooks from two years ago,

Less dramatic declines in extreme poverty have been noted around the developing world, with the vital exception of sub-Saharan Africa. It now seems quite possible that we will meet the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, which were set a few years ago: the number of people living in extreme poverty will be cut in half by the year 2015. As Martin Wolf of The Financial Times wrote in his recent book, "Why Globalization Works": "Never before have so many people - or so large a proportion of the world's population - enjoyed such large rises in their standard of living."

I haven't read the latest report but I'd say the geatest threat to the world's poor right now is resurgent protectionism from our Newly elected Congress.

I heard historian Timothy Garton Ash on Chicago's WBEZ in February 21, 2005 say the best thing the US and UK could do to reduce world poverty was drop trade barriers and drop our agricultural subsidies.

Even slimmer chance of that now with this Congress.
December 03, 2006
Louis Merlin said…
I have no problem believing that free trade could cause dramatic declines in poverty rates. I'm quite practical about how we achieve this goal - my only concern is that we make it a priority as a nation and participate in the work to make it happen.
December 03, 2006
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