Liberia

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND TARGETS

THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE

In September 2000, 189 heads of state and governments gathered at the United Nations in New York at the Millennium Summit and adopted what became known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Targets. A set of time-bound goals, the MDGs are an embodiment of wider human concerns and issues - they are "people-centred" and measure human progress.

The MDGs are intended to engender national initiatives and strategies geared towards alleviating poverty and improving the standard of living of the poorest of the poor across the globe. Although the global challenge to alleviate poverty is overwhelming, these leaders decided to concentrate on eight crucial goals that touch upon available income and food, education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, HIV/AIDS and other major diseases, environmental sustainability, and global partnerships.

The eight goals are set to encourage all countries, rich or poor, to focus on human development problems. They have been carefully selected with the help of the UN Agencies and other international organizations. They include 18 feasible straightforward targets to be met through country policies and programs, international aid, and civil society engagement. These targets are set to be achieved in a 25-year period from 1990 to 2015. International Development Targets, which preceded the MDGs, were derived from a series of UN global conferences held during the 1990s.

THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT ON LIBERIA

Liberia's status, vis-à-vis the MDGs, form the basis of its first Millennium Development Goals Report (MDGR), published in January 2004. A baseline report, the MDGR captured an assessment of the current situation in Liberia relative to the global MDGs and targets; translates the global MDGs into national targets; and builds national capacity in assessing, monitoring, and reporting on the MDGs. The preparation of the MDGR was preceded by various reports and studies which served as inputs into the document.

With the availability of new data from surveys conducted, UNDP and the Government have commissioned the second MDGR. This report will highlight progress made in all eights goals and 18 targets since Liberia ratified the millennium declearation.

The guiding principle in preparing the MDGR has been ensuring broad-based national participation and ownership, and the full involvement of all stakeholders throughout the entire process, including researching, discussing, and reaching consensus on the national indicators. Key stakeholders include the US Agency for International Development, European Union, civil society organizations, and private sector and academic institutions, with the Government of Liberia playing a lead role.

Millennium Village Concept

With technical and advisory support from UNDP, the Government has selected Kokoyah Statutory District in Bong Country to pilot the Millennium Village project. Kokoyah, with a population of 15,000 inhabitants is considered a region with vast potential for agriculture and economic development but yet the people are considered among the poorest in the nation. A five year project has been developed to support the MV which will basically concentrate on agriculture, health and infrastructure. Discussions are still ongoing for the selection of a second village in the southeastern region of Liberia.