The UN’s Millennium Development Goals and Focus on Austerity

For us people of the civilized society, the year 2015  brought several reason to be happy and contented about because of the launch of UN’s Millennium Development Goals. Thus, it can be estimated that 2015 can be a very hopeful year for people, but to make the most of it there is need for some boldness as well as political skill. According to eminent entrepreneur and philanthropist Mr Carl Freer, this year can thus be a year of hope where focus lies with creating a future where people all over the world can hope to live with dignity and peace. Thankfully some of the Millennium Development Goals that have been chalked out, have been achieved much ahead of the schedule prepared for 2015.

A briefing session in the UN Member States witnessed our honourable Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon outline his priorities for 2015 through his report ‘The Road to Dignity by 2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protecting the Planet.’ According to him, the century is at certain crossroads and we have everything from sophisticated technology as well as a globalized economy which is extremely helpful in ending the ills related to poverty and hunger. For attaining sustainable development it is essential to put all resources together.

This is where planning for the upcoming 15 years of the world has to be planned. It is quite remarkable how people have gathered so much understanding over the years and the protection of the environment has become extremely cardinal to access and tap our future potential. Thus, it can be said that the UN along with its other associated wings, are learning along the course. As their knowledge is earning greater depth, their visions are gathering more maturity which is getting reflected in their strategies and discussions.

The revered  ‘first world’ countries of the world has today gone into a political cycle and the concept of “austerity” has become the base on which a new rational idea is expected to develop. According to the views of Mr Freer, this austerity has led to the tightening of overseas aid budgets which has been supported in the name of “national interest”. This session of the UN also tells us a lot about the cost of not doing anything for alleviating suffering completely. Though a lot of lessons have been learnt in the path of turning into a developed country from a developing one, people have somehow not given up on the old framework even though the time has changed.

Therefore, it is essential to state that to progress as a world in whole, it is important to ensure that the dignity we feel is very much connected with the dignity that we feel for others. Thus, in order for the MDGs to succeed, we have simply to move forward in the direction of faith with greater conviction.

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