United Nations Millennium Development Goals Research Articles

Special Forum on the Millennium Development Goals: Introduction

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight time-bound targets aiming, amongst other issues, to reduce extreme poverty, address school enrollment and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, expire in September 2015. World leaders, civil society organisations, philanthropists, and the private sector are all frantically negotiating and consulting over what will follow them. This special forum in Globalizations is dedicated to questions which explore the politics of the MDGs, and the subsequent discussions which are framing their successor development framework, the Sustainable Development Goals. Most research into the MDGs tends to be technocratic, addressing issues of how we might achieve the goals better, faster, and more efficiently. Questions of what kinds of societies might be created by the achievement of the goals, and what alternative societies people living in poverty might wish to build for themselves tend to get left aside, as do questions which address the fundamentally capitalocentric logics which underpin the MDGs. This special forum introduction briefly explores some of these issues before introducing the contributors, who include leading scholars on the critical politics and international political economy of international development, such as Suzan Ilcan, Philip McMichael, Kathleen Sexsmith, Carl Death, Japhy Wilson, Anita Lacey, Maia Green, and Heloise Weber.

Predictors for uptake of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) in Tanzania.

BackgroundTanzania adopted Intermittent-preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) policy in 2000; the guidelines at the time of the study recommended the timing of the first dose of intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) (IPTp-SP) at 20–24 weeks and the timing of the second dose at 28–32 weeks. The aim of this study was to identify factors that are responsible for the uptake of IPTp among pregnant Tanzanian women. Further, this study aims to justify the need for appropriate interventions that would strengthen the Tanzanian IPTp program towards the realization of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) targets.MethodsData were analyzed from the 2011–2012 Tanzania HIV and Malaria Indicators Survey (THMIS) of 1,616 women aged 15–49 years who had a live birth in the 2 years prior to the survey and received antenatal care (ANC) services.ResultsLogistic regression analysis results showed that (1) being in the age groups 30–34 and 35–39 versus other age groups and being married or living with partner versus those who reported as never married or divorced/separated were associated with high uptake of IPTp; (2) women pregnant with their first or second child versus those who already have had two or more children had higher odds of completing the recommended number of IPTp dosage; and (3) being a resident from the Eastern Zone versus Lake Zone as well as having the first antenatal visit in the first or second trimester versus third trimester were associated with higher uptake of IPTp.ConclusionApplying these results could contribute to positive social change by helping providers, clinics, and organizations seeking to increase IPTp uptake among ANC attendees and providing health education programs to women, especially those residing in rural areas. This study could also help achieve United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 6 (combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases).

Lifelong literacy: Towards a new agenda

The Dakar Framework for Action (UNESCO 2000) aimed for basic education for all, including a massive improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015. It provided a framework which strove to effect education as a fundamental human right, requiring countries to strengthen their efforts to ensure that the basic learning needs of every citizen were met. The six Education for All (EFA) goals agreed on at the Dakar World Education Forum in 2000 aimed to (1) expand and improve early childhood education; (2) ensure universal access to primary education; (3) ensure equitable access for all to appropriate learning programmes; it aimed to (4) improve the levels of adult literacy by 50 per cent; (5) eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education; and (6) improve the quality of education. These six goals were encapsulated in the second of the eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which aimed at ‘‘achieving universal primary education’’ by 2015 (UN 2000); an aim which has not, in fact, been achieved. UNESCO’s Director-General Irina Bokova states that ‘‘15 years of monitoring shows sobering results’’ (UNESCO 2015, Foreword). As the target year for the EFA goals and the MDGs draws to a close, reflections on the achievements and the lack of progress have fed into debates concerning the vision, shape and scope of the post2015 education agenda and how it might be integrated with the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. Securing education and learning for sustainable futures is an issue which is high on this new agenda for 2016–2030. The discussions around the achievements – and the lack of progress – of the EFA goals are providing renewed impetus for

Evaluation of an international inter-professional initiative on the use of case study learning about the United Nations millennium development goals

Results: Survey results revealed that one hundred percent (100%) of attending clinicians agreed that the information presentedwas relevant and that iPad usage could be integrated into their daily work routine. One hundred percent (100%) of attending clinicians also agreed that usage of iPadswas applicable to their specific professional role. Self-assessments by the students and the instructor assessment implied that students understood cognitive learning theories and how the theories can be applied to educational technology. Conclusion(s): This project provided students with a foundational knowledge of cognitive learning theories while providing them hands-on experience with technology. Students gained insight on the importance of using best practice when teaching with technology. The health care providers at the rehabilitation hospital received valuable resources that could be used in their daily practices. Implications: The use of mobile devices such as the iPad can be a part of physical therapy curriculum. Students can apply learning theories when using iPads to educate health care professionals. Physical therapists can usemobile devices to educate patients, quickly retrievemedical information, and improve patient outcomes.

An inter-professional and international initiative on the role of health sciences faculties in achieving United Nations Millennium Development Goals

An inter-professional and international initiative on the role of health sciences faculties in achieving United Nations Millennium Development Goals

Responding to the pandemic of falsified medicines.

Over the past decade, the number of countries reporting falsified (fake, spurious/falsely labeled/counterfeit) medicines and the types and quantities of fraudulent drugs being distributed have increased greatly. The obstacles in combating falsified pharmaceuticals include 1) lack of consensus on definitions, 2) paucity of reliable and scalable technology to detect fakes before they reach patients, 3) poor global and national leadership and accountability systems for combating this scourge, and 4) deficient manufacturing and regulatory challenges, especially in China and India where fake products often originate. The major needs to improve the quality of the world's medicines fall into three main areas: 1) research to develop and compare accurate and affordable tools to identify high-quality drugs at all levels of distribution; 2) an international convention and national legislation to facilitate production and utilization of high-quality drugs and protect all countries from the criminal and the negligent who make, distribute, and sell life-threatening products; and 3) a highly qualified, well-supported international science and public health organization that will establish standards, drug-quality surveillance, and training programs like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Such leadership would give authoritative guidance for countries in cooperation with national medical regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and international agencies, all of which have an urgent interest and investment in ensuring that patients throughout the world have access to good quality medicines. The organization would also advocate strongly for including targets for achieving good quality medicines in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals.

Trends and Future Scenarios of Forestry and Other Land Uses Employment in Indonesia: a Modeling Approach

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Provider's and user's perspective about immunization coverage among migratory and non-migratory population in slums and construction sites of Chandigarh.

Strengthening routine immunization is a corner stone for countries to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4) which aims to reduce under-five mortality by two-thirds and MDG 5 improving maternal health compared to 1990 estimates by 2015. The poor urban newborns are more vulnerable to many health and nutrition problems compared to the non-poor urban counterparts. Therefore there is a need to strengthen health system to cater the needs of urban poor. Standardized WHO30*7 cluster sampling for slums and convenience sampling for construction sites. In depth interviews were conducted for user's as well as provider's perspective about immunization coverage. Two hundred ten children and 210 mothers were enrolled in slums and 100 were sampled from construction sites. The slum workers are considered as non-migratory groups whereas construction site workers are considered as migratory population. Among children, 23 % were fully immunized, 73 % were partially immunized and 3 % were unimmunized in non-migratory population whereas 3 % were fully immunized, 91 % were partially immunized and 6 % were unimmunized in migratory population. Among mothers, 43 and 39 % were fully immunized, 13 and 15 % partially immunized and 43 and 46 % were unimmunized in non-migratory and migratory population, respectively. The various reasons attributed for low coverage are (a) dissatisfaction of the users with the service delivery and procedural delays (bureaucracy), (b) lack of faith in health workers,

A Critical Analysis of the CISG in the Harmonization and Unification of International Trade Law in Africa-Nigeria

This research is geared towards giving a critical appraisal and review of the CISG with regards to the prospective effect or advantage it conveys if/when it is wholly integrated into the legal framework of the commercial sectors of African states. Africa is currently the world's trading hub, with a steady influx of foreign governments, corporations and organizations seeking to trade with the continent for economic and also political purposes, it has apparently become an essential and profitable continent. The continent is second to Asia in its largeness and population amongst the world’s seven continents. Nigeria, on the other hand, being one of the countries in Africa is relevant or considered in this discourse as it is popularly referred to as the giant of Africa. It is the most populous country in Africa and its ranked 7th most populous country in the world. But, irrespective of the above Nigerian status, the country still grapples with underdevelopment and poverty, a similar trend which cuts across other African states. The African Union (AU), which is a union that consist of the 54 countries that make up the continent Africa, serves as the political and administrative body that govern the continent. And as one of its objectives, the Union seeks to promote the sustainable advancement of all economic, social and cultural sectors of states through the integration of African economies. But following its past and present economic and commercial policies in Africa, this above objective appears “unattainable”. A similar failure is also been conceived amongst commentators and experts of the September 2000 United Nations Millennium Development Goals for Africa on economic growth and development by the year 2015. Although, one could say this development and growth is being actualized, but it is no doubt that it comes slow and is unstable.This paper proposes how the above objectives can be attainable. In putting forward the propositions of the paper, a critical analysis of the United Nations CISG rules is undertaken as it offers a proper framework for the attainment of the objectives of the continent. Through a study of the CISG tools, the paper establishes the effectiveness or limitation of the CISG in aiding the removal of the prevalent international sale of goods laws that limit and obstruct the growth of the continent.

A new commitment to newborn survival.

Well-structured and thoughtful education programs in low-income countries offer hope for dramatically improved outcomes for pregnant mothers and their newborns. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, the Ethiopian Pediatrics Society, and the Pediatric Association of Nigeria are collaborating by implementing a combination of learning modules for health care providers who attend to pregnant women and their newborns. This new educational effort, described in the present article, is an example of how pediatricians worldwide are working through their national professional organizations to assist in the quest for improved newborn survival rates.—Jay E. Berkelhamer Column Editor The world is <500 days away from the deadline to meet targets established for 2015 by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). A July 2014 report from the United Nations Secretary General showed that significant progress has been made and millions of lives have been saved but that more effort is needed, specifically in maternal and child survival (MDGs 4 and 5). However, newborn deaths continue to account for 44% of all deaths among children aged <5 years.1 Globally, 2.9 million infants die in the first month of life, and an additional 2.6 million are stillborn.1 In addition, every day, 800 women die during pregnancy or childbirth, making it less likely that their children will survive.2 The majority of these deaths are preventable. Earlier this year, the United Nations World … Address correspondence to Jonathan D. Klein, MD, MPH, FAAP, American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. E-mail: jklein{at}aap.org

Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in Arab Countries: A Transcultural Caring Perspective

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals aim to improve an array of global social circumstances by the year 2015. Islam, one of the world’s fastest growing religions, is the faith practiced in many of the countries with the poorest progress of this goal. One of the Millennium Development Goals, number three, which pertains to gender equality and female empowerment, is explained herein, within the context of countries in the Arab world where Islam is the major religion. Ray’s (2010) Transcultural Caring Dynamics in Nursing and Health Care model provides a means to consider the complexities of this phenomenon, with emphasis in its value as a human rights model.

Life in Slums: A Case Study of Bahawalpur

One of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is to achieve significant improvement in lives of at least 100 million slums dwellers, by 2020. The MDG target 11 set by Government of Pakistan to improve the lives of slum dwellers is to regulate the 95 percent of katchi abadis (identified by the cut-off date of 1985) by 2015. Along with it, under Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) and Mid-term Development Framework (MTDF) the target was/is to regulate the 60 and 75 percent of katchi abadisby 2005-06 and 2009-10 respectively. To see the implications and prospects of these targets the paper probes the life in slums of Bahawalpur as a case study. In this data-based micro study we assess the situation of living conditions (potable water supply, sanitation, public utilities, sufficient living area, household with durable material), household characteristics (compositions, headship, type of employment and educational status, etc.) social safety nets (transfer payments and micro-finance), women labor force participation and their contribution, health and educational status of children and child labor. To identify the slum areas, an operational definition of slums has been developed, that is slightly different in the part of water avail-ability, sanitation and building material, from that given by UN-Habitat. In this way twelve clusters are taken as sample spreading over whole of the Bahawalpur city. The study provides a micro-view of the standard of living of slum households to the planners and policy makers along with policy proposals to frame the strategy for improvement of lives in slums. The study concludes that urban slums are the poorest in the urban community from a number of poverty perspectives. They represent poverty pocket and need targeted policies. The multi-pronged, short and medium term policies need attention in the areas of housing, education, health, sanitation and income generating activities. Most of all the social safety nets can play an important role. The district governments may act as identifying and implementing agencies.

Improving Maternal and Child Health in Bangladesh: The Integration of Midwives in Conjunction With the United Nations Millenium Development Goals Initiative

As the United Nations Millennium Development Goals initiative comes to a close, it is important to examine what has been effective in combating disparities in developing nations. In this paper I explore the impact midwives have on improving maternal and child health in Bangladesh by focusing on how the United Nations Millennium Development Goals initiative has helped to change societal views on women and birth as midwives become more integrated into improving maternal and child health. It is a quantitative and qualitative approach analyzing the statistics of implementing midwives as these impact cost-effectiveness and change in mortality rates in addition to social changes that have occurred in the culture towards maternal and child health. The paper further analyzes programs implemented by countries such as India and Sri Lanka comparatively. Data have been collected from published United Nations and governmental reports, media, and research articles. The paper concludes that the implementation of midwives has provided a cost-effective method of reducing maternal and child health in Bangladesh, and will be increasingly efficient as governmental programs continue to improve various aspects and laws of the country. It is important to analyze what is working in order to further improve maternal and child health on both a regional and global level. The use of midwives can provide a fundamental framework in communities that can aid in reducing health disparities as well as all improve all facets of reproductive wellness, providing the support needed at all stages to improve maternal and child health.

Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in Arab Countries: A Transcultural Caring Perspective

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals aim to improve an array of global social circumstances by the year 2015. Islam, one of the world's fastest growing religions, is the faith practiced in many of the countries with the poorest progress of this goal. One of the Millennium Development Goals, number three, which pertains to gender equality and female empowerment, is explained herein, within the context of countries in the Arab world where Islam is the major religion. Ray's (2010) Transcultural Caring Dynamics in Nursing and Health Care model provides a means to consider the complexities of this phenomenon, with emphasis in its value as a human rights model.

Traditional Birth Attendants and the Problem of Maternal Mortality in Indonesia

Since the 1980s, maternal mortality in Indonesia has declined. However, it has always been high by regional standards, and its decline is now stalling. This makes it unlikely that by 2015 Indonesia will have reduced maternal mortality to the level set by the fifth United Nations Millennium Development Goal. In Indonesia, the role of the traditional birth attendant (TBA) in childbirth has been the subject of debate and controversy since colonial times. In efforts to reduce maternal mortality, subsequent health administrations have tried to replace TBAs with modern-trained midwives. Contrary to expectations, however, even in the present era certified midwives have not fully replaced TBAs. Particularly in rural areas, the TBA remains a key actor in birthing care, although now more often in collaboration with the modern midwife. Taking an anthro pological and a historical perspective, the involvement of the TBA in birthing and maternal care, at different times and in different areas of Indonesia, is investigated and, where relevant, compared to that of TBAs in other parts of Southeast Asia. The emergent picture does not support the opinion that the TBA is to blame for high maternal mortality. Poor referral facilities, bad infra structure and insufficient means are the more likely causes. To resolve the maternal mortality problem, governmental health policies should treat the TBA as an ally. How ever, such policies, and promising approaches such as partnerships and village maternity houses, can only be effective when their implementation is adequately backed up by resources.

Novel drugs against tuberculosis: a clinician's perspective.

The United Nations Millennium Development Goal of reversing the global spread of tuberculosis by 2015 has been offset by the rampant re-emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis, in particular fluoroquinolone-resistant multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. After decades of quiescence in the development of antituberculosis medications, bedaquiline and delamanid have been conditionally approved for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis, while several other novel compounds (AZD5847, PA-824, SQ109 and sutezolid) have been evaluated in phase II clinical trials. Before novel drugs can find their place in the battle against drug-resistant tuberculosis, linezolid has been compassionately used with success in the treatment of fluoroquinolone-resistant multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. This review largely discusses six novel drugs that have been evaluated in phase II and III clinical trials, with focus on the clinical evidence for efficacy and safety, potential drug interactions, and prospect for using multiple novel drugs in new regimens.

Learning and literacy: A research agenda for post-2015

Ongoing policy discussions concerning the post-2015 future of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals are providing the basis for renewed efforts to understand and improve learning and literacy in a global perspective. Aiming for a pathway towards better scientific understanding, this paper asks a central question: What research would be necessary over the coming decade to realise the goal of improving learning and literacy in poor communities in low-income countries? The joint topics of learning and literacy development, and the factors which influence outcomes, are complex and intertwined – which is one reason why universal literacy has still not been achieved in spite of major investments over the years. Research will play a crucial part in addressing this challenge, and this paper proposes and reviews ten major areas of learning and literacy research. Designing and responding to an appropriate set of research priorities will be one of the crucial ways of addressing the question of how to improve learning, literacy and educational quality in the post-2015 period.

Modelling impacts of climate change on global food security

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimate that nearly 900 million people on the planet are suffering from chronic hunger. This state of affairs led to the making of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in 2000, having the first goal to “Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger” with a target to halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. However, projections of a rapidly growing population, coupled with global climate change, is expected to have significant negative impacts on food security. To investigate this prospect, a modelling framework was developed under the QUEST-GSI programme, which we have termed FEEDME (Food Estimation and Export for Diet and Malnutrition Evaluation). The model uses country-level Food Balance Sheets (FBS) to determine mean calories on a per-capita basis, and a coefficient of variation to account for the degree of inequality in access to food across national populations. Calorific values of individual food items in the FBS of countries were modified by revision of crop yields and population changes under the SRES A1B climate change and social-economic scenarios respectively for 2050, 2085 and 2100. Under a no-climate change scenario, based upon projected changes in population and agricultural land use only, results show that 31 % (2.5 billion people by 2050) of the global population is at risk of undernourishment if no adaptation or agricultural innovation is made in the intervening years. An additional 21 % (1.7 billion people) is at risk of undernourishment by 2050 when climate change is taken into account. However, the model does not account for future trends in technology, improved crop varieties or agricultural trade interventions, although it is clear that all of these adaptation strategies will need to be embraced on a global scale if society is to ensure adequate food supplies for a projected global population of greater than 9 billion people.

Integrating corporate social responsibility into efforts to realize millennium development goals

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to present corporate social responsibility (CSR) as an alternative roadmap to accelerating realization of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Uganda, even after 2015.Design/methodology/approach– Using a mixed research methodology, this research documented CSR activities of 16 companies operating in Uganda. Data collection was guided by quantitative and qualitative methodologies (semi-structured interviews with CSR managers, plus non-participant observation of CSR activities and projects linked with MDGs). Triangulation was used to ensure credibility and validity of the results. For data analysis, the authors followed a three-stepwise process, which helped to develop a framework within which the collected data could be analyzed. For generalization of the findings, the authors were guided by the “adaptive theory approach”.Findings– Uganda will not realize any MDGs by 2015. However, CSR activities have the potential to contribute to a cross-section of various MDGs that are more important and relevant to Uganda when supported by the government. If this happens, realization of the MDGs is likely to be stepped up. CSR's potential contributions to the MDGs were found to be hindered by corruption and cost of doing business. Lastly, MDG 8 and MDG 3 were perceived to be too ambiguous to be integrated into company CSR interventions, and to a certain extent were perceived to be carrying political intentions which conflict with the primary business intentions of profit maximization.Practical implications– Governments in developing countries that are still grappling with the MDGs can use this research when devising collaborations with private-sector companies. These documented CSR activities that contribute directly to specific MDGs can be factored into the priority public-private partnership arrangements. Private companies can also use these findings to frame their stakeholder engagement, especially with the government and also when setting CSR priorities that significantly contribute to sustainable development.Originality value– This research advances the “Post-2015 MDG Development Agenda” suggested during the United Nations MDG Summit in 2010, which called for academic and innovative contributions on how MDGs can be realized even after 2015.

Strengthening monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and building sustainable health information systems in resource limited countries: lessons learned from an M&E task-shifting initiative in Botswana.

BackgroundThe demand for quality data and the interest in health information systems has increased due to the need for country-level progress reporting towards attainment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and global health initiatives. To improve monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of health programs in Botswana, 51 recent university graduates with no experience in M&E were recruited and provided with on-the-job training and mentoring to develop a new cadre of health worker: the district M&E officer. Three years after establishment of the cadre, an assessment was conducted to document achievements and lessons learnt.MethodsThis qualitative assessment included in-depth interviews at the national level (n = 12) with officers from government institutions, donor agencies, and technical organizations; and six focus group discussions separately with district M&E officers, district managers, and program officers coordinating different district health programs.ResultsReported achievements of the cadre included improved health worker capacity to monitor and evaluate programs within the districts; improved data quality, management, and reporting; increased use of health data for disease surveillance, operational research, and planning purposes; and increased availability of time for nurses and other health workers to concentrate on core clinical duties. Lessons learnt from the assessment included: the importance of clarifying roles for newly established cadres, aligning resources and equipment to expectations, importance of stakeholder collaboration in implementation of sustainable programs, and ensuring retention of new cadres.ConclusionThe development of a dedicated M&E cadre at the district level contributed positively to health information systems in Botswana by helping build M&E capacity and improving data quality, management, and data use. This assessment has shown that such cadres can be developed sustainably if the initiative is country-led, focusing on recruitment and capacity-development of local counterparts, with a clear government retention plan.