In 2000, every member of the United Nations adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – eight time-bound, measurable goals across a range of health and development outcomes.
As the world recognizes the ten-year anniversary of the MDGs, Overseas Development Institute (ODI) has published two reports that analyze progress against these goals, and highlight advances in development efforts.
The first, MDG Report Card: Measuring Progress Across Countries, provides a country-by-country analysis of progress toward meeting the MDGs, and flags inequities and uneven progress.
The second, Development Progress Stories, is a series of case studies that highlight progress in different countries, as well as key lessons about what has worked in development, and why.
Key Findings:
The six case studies released today analyze a range of achievements. Highlights include:
- Bangladesh - Remarkable improvements in health across the board: notably, dramatic reductions in infant and child mortality rates, increased immunization coverage and a rise in life expectancy.
- Costa Rica - Pioneer in environmental conservation and most notably in the preservation of its forest ecosystems. Ranked third—the highest ranked developing country—on the 2010 Environmental Performance Index.
- El Salvador - Remarkable progress in achieving relative peace and security, as well as improving the effectiveness of government, since the end of the end of a 12-year civil war.
- Ethiopia - Tackling demand and supply constraints to schooling: access to education has improved significantly. Primary enrolment has risen to 15.5 million, an increase of over 500%.
- Ghana - Sustained progress in agricultural productivity and poverty reduction. Ghana is ranked among the top five performers in the world in agricultural growth and is largely self-sufficient in staple foods. It will achieve MDG 1 before 2015. (Read more about Ghana's success.)
- Vietnam - Impressive growth with poverty reduction: 20 years ago Vietnam was amongst the poorest countries in the world and is now set to join the ranks of middle-income countries by 2011.
Download the full report:
MDG Report Card: Measuring Progress Across Countries
(PDF, 18.3MB, 118 pages)
The report and case studies are also available on ODI’s Development Progress Stories website at www.developmentprogress.org.