 Millennium Development Goal Gap Task Force Report 2010 (PDF) |
New York, USA - The world is on track to reduce by half the number of people living in abject poverty by 2015, according to a UN report. There are eight Millennium Development Goals, and the September 22 summit at the UN is evaluating progress.
Some observers warn that recent economic woes have slowed the pace of progress towards the goals. However, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on world leaders to ensure the world's poor do not pay the price for budget cuts and meet the goal.
At the summit, Ban Ki-moon announced a new $40 billion plan to help save lives over the next five years. The money has been pledged by governments, business, foundations, and NGOs.
For more details see: Ban mobilizes his ‘superheroes’ to give added thrust to MDGs, UN kicks off drive to save more than 16 million women and children worldwide, US Pesident Obama's address.
The Universal Peace Federation appreciates and seeks to support the efforts of the United Nations to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. At the same time, we recognize that progress toward the MDGs has been disappointing. With only five years remaining out of the original fifteen, there is a need for both honest self-assessment and for consideration of innovative perspectives.
The Universal Peace Federation affirms that achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals requires development strategies based on universal, spiritual, and moral principles. Leaders guided by such principles help ensure good governance and a comprehensive vision of development linked to global ethics.
“Living for the sake of others” is a universal principle advocated by religions and people of conscience throughout the world. This principle of altruism implies understanding, respect, and good will toward others. It encourages cooperative relationships, creating the conditions for harmony, productivity, responsibility, integrity, and accountability. Without a fundamental change in perspective, the MDGs will always remain “someone else’s problem” rather than a problem and challenge facing all of us. The principle of “living for the sake of others” can be affirmed by all people, regardless of race, nationality, religion, or culture.
Thus, UPF encourages religious people and faith-based organizations to work cooperatively with each other and with all sectors of society to advance the Millennium Development Goals. UPF affirms that development goals should be pursued in conjunction with programs that enhance character development, strengthen marriage and family, promote gender equality, reinforce social and civic institutions, and advocate good governance.
Therefore, in support of the MDGs, UPF chapters organize programs on character education, marriage and family enrichment, humanitarian relief, HIV/AIDS prevention, and sustainable development. UPF joins the United Nations in its commitment to achieve the MDGs by the year 2015, so that, through our shared responsibility, we can deliver on our shared pledge to build a better world for generations to come.