A good life for all

Jul 13, 2013 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
Everyone looks forward to enjoying a decent if not good life. For the majority of the world’s population, this is a dream that remains largely unfulfilled, not because there is not enough resources to make that dream a reality, but because of the unequal distribution of the world’s resources – where some people have more than they could consume while the vast majority simply do not have enough to eat.
Guyana and the rest of the English-speaking Caribbean have made great strides in terms of improving the quality of life of their respective populations. The same can be said of Latin America, where countries enjoy varying degrees of success in terms of meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Part of this success is attributable to the democratic wave that emerged over the past two decades, which swept aside dictatorial rule and ushered in a period of democratic governance.
True enough, there is still a significant degree of income inequality in most countries in Latin America – more notably Brazil and Venezuela – but the election of left-wing governments in these countries have already begun to challenge the old order and create enabling conditions for ordinary people to benefit from the collective labour of society as a whole.
Guyana is one of those countries that are ahead in terms of meeting the MDGs, especially in terms of reduction of hunger and poverty, according to the latest UNDP Report.
The report, which is an annual assessment of global and regional progress towards the goals, reflects the most comprehensive and up-to-date data compiled by over 27 UN and international agencies, and is produced by the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
The document contains some interesting facts in relation to each target and some key recommendations which must be taken seriously by national governments and other key development partners.
Based on official statistics, the MDG Report 2013 showed that the combined actions of national governments, the international community, civil society and the private sector, are making the achievement of these MDGs a realizable possibility. According to the findings of the Report, with some of the MDGs already met, more targets are within the reach by the 2015 target date, even though there are still challenges by some countries to achieve some important targets.
With millions of people’s lives improved by already meeting targets on reducing poverty, increasing access to safe water, improving the lives of slum dwellers and achieving gender parity in primary schools, the report sounded an optimistic note regarding the attainment of some of the other goals by 2015.
According to the report, big gains have been made in health. For example, between 2000 and 2010, mortality rates from malaria fell by more than 25 per cent globally, and an estimated 1.1 million deaths were averted. Death rates from tuberculosis at the global level and in several regions could be halved by 2015, compared to 1990 levels. Between 1995 and 2011, a cumulative total of 51 million tuberculosis patients were successfully treated, saving 20 million lives.
Regarding the HIV/AIDS fight, the report notes that while new HIV infections are declining, an estimated 34 million people were living with HIV in 2011. At the end of 2011, eight million people were receiving antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS in developing regions, and the MDG target of universal access to antiretroviral therapy remains reachable by 2015, if current trends continue.
Additionally, the report says that the target of halving the percentage of people suffering from hunger by 2015 is within reach. The proportion of undernourished people worldwide decreased from 23 per cent in 1990-1992 to 15 per cent in 2010-2012.
Worldwide, the mortality rate for children under five dropped by 41 per cent – from 87 deaths per 1000 live births in 1990 to 51 in 2011, which means 14,000 fewer child deaths per day. Increasingly, child deaths are concentrated in the poorest regions, and in the first month of life.
Globally, the maternal mortality ratio declined by 47 per cent over the last two decades, from 400 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births to 210 between 1990 and 2010. The meeting the MDG target of reducing the ratio by three-quarters will require accelerated interventions and stronger political backing for women and children.
With respect to education, between 2000 and 2011, the number of children out of school decline by almost half – from 102 million to 57 million. It should be stated that Guyana has already achieved the target for universal primary education and is working hard to do the same at the secondary level.
However, the report recommends that global attention needs to focus on disparities.
“Progress towards the eights MDGs has been uneven not only among regions and countries, but also between population groups within countries. People living in poverty or in rural areas remain at an unfair disadvantage,” the Report maintained.
At present, the UN is working with governments, civil society and other partners to build on the momentum generated by the MDGs, to craft an ambitious, yet realistic, agenda for the period after the MDGs target date at the end of 2015.
Hydar Ally

 

 

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