NAIROBI, JULY 10 2015(CISA) – Despite the successes that have been made on the Millenium Development Goals (MDG) targets, the poorest and most vulnerable people are being left behind.
“Big gaps exist between the poorest and the richest households,” said Eduardo Lopez Moreno, Head of Research and Capacity Building, UN-Habitat.
He was speaking in Nairobi on July 9 during a media launch of UNCTAD’s Economic Development report and the MDG Report 2015.
He added that under-five mortality rates are almost twice as high for children in the poorest households as for children in the richest.
The report noted that about 800 million people worldwide still live in extreme poverty and suffer from hunger.
Sub-Saharan Africa was recorded as the best improved as far as access to universal primary education was concerned.
“It however still has the lowest percentage of children accessing primary education being at 80 percent,” he added.
The report indicated primary school enrolment rate in the developing regions has reached 91 percent in 2015 up from 83 percent in 2000.
It was noted that gender inequality still persist especially when it comes to private and public decision making despite the ratio of school going girls and boys being equal which is a positive move.
Climate change and environmental degradation which is one factor in the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) is not only an issue that has been addressed by the Holy Father but by the UN Habitat as well.
According to the UN report on MDGs, global emissions of carbon dioxide have increased by over 50 percent since 1990 which has resulted to altered ecosystems and weather extremes, posing a critical challenge for the global community.
Eduardo congratulated the encyclical that Pope Francis had come up with; highlighting it was a great step in helping address the issue on environmental sustainability.
Conflict was also considered one of the biggest threats to human development, statistics showing the number of refugees was growing four times more than the 2010 number of 11,000 people.
The end of the MDGs gives birth to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure sustainability of the achieved goals for the next 15 years.
