What are the MDGs and why don’t the targets address persons living with disabilities?

Each year, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is celebrated on 3^rd December. This year, the day will be recognized with the theme, “Making the Millennium Development Goals Inclusive: Empowerment of persons with disabilities and their communities around the world”.

But what are the Millennium Development Goals?

In 2000, world leaders came together at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to adopt the United Nations Millennium Declaration, which committed their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty by 2015. Eight goals set out at the meeting have become known as the Millennium Development Goals. These goals address issues such as ending poverty and hunger, achieving primary education for all, promoting women’s empowerment, reducing of child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDs and other diseases, and ensuring environmental sustainability.

But how do these goals include persons living with disabilities?

The website www.includeeverybody.org gives a good overview on how and why governments should consider disabilities in meeting the Millennium Development Goals. It is produced by the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC), of which cbm is a member organisation.

Take action: Check out the Micah Challenge, a global coalition of Christiansholding governments to account for their promise to halve extreme poverty by 2015. The group encourages Christians worldwide to deepen their commitment to the poor and to speak out to leaders to act with justice. View Aotearoa New Zealand’s campaign here http://www.micahchallenge.org.nz


Blindness	Orthopaedics	Deafness	Community	Emergencies	Rehabilitation

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What are the MDGs and why don’t the targets address persons living with disabilities?

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