The inclusion of people with disabilities in the MDGs is important, because people with disabilities are the poorest and most vulnerable in developing countries and often the hardest to reach.

People with disabilities are often left out of development programs because their issues may not have been recognised, or represented at international, national or even local forums about who should be benefiting from progress and how. None of the eight MDGs the UN set as targets mentions disability, even though lack of food and health care for children at an early age is a major cause of disability in children. We also know that if pregnant women aren't given timely access to maternal health programs, permanent disabilities such as fistula can result.

MDG 4 - Reduce child mortality

Children with disabilities have the right to enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child's active participation in the community. They have the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health and to access facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. Children with disabilities have the right to access and receive education, training, health care services, rehabilitation services, preparation for employment and recreation opportunities in a manner conducive to the child's achieving the fullest possible social integration and individual development, including his or her cultural and spiritual.

The sad reality is that all over the world, 21 children in the under-five age group die each minute. A majority of the causes of these deaths are preventable or treatable. Children with disabilities are at higher risk of dying not just because of medical conditions, but also because of the disability itself. In the developing world, the death rate for children with disabilities under five years can be as high as 80%.

MDG 4 aims to cut infant and child deaths by 2/3 by 2015.

 - Children with disabilities are four times more likely to die before their 5th birthday than those without a disability.
- For every child killed by armed conflict, three are injured or permanently disabled.
- Over 10 million children are psychologically traumatised by armed conflict.
- Child malnutrition:
Not having enough food to eat is a major cause of death and permanently disability like stunting and wasting in children. If children survive malnutrition, they are often left both physical and mentally underdeveloped. This is why eradicating hunger in children(MDG1) is so important. Without enough food and nutrient, children have no chance at a healthy start in life.

Halima and Yaoun's story shows the link between MDG 4 and disability

Halima is a young mother in Niger, desperate to provide for her child, Yaon. Their community has experienced devastating drought, year after year. "We can't grow crops and we don't have enough to eat", says Halima, sadly. "We pray for rain", she says, "Then we could grow crops and look after ourselves". But unless Halima receives help, she can do little more than hope and pray. "Without food and water", she says quietly, looking away, "we will die".

Australian aid providers who support the Micah Challenge campaign recognise this huge need and provide outreach maternal health programs. Specifically set up to target children, pregnant women and mothers, the programs offer vitamin supplements for babies at risk of disability or death due to malnutrition, and distribute food to deal with the immediate needs of starvation.

Despite being a three hour walk in the heat and dust,  Halima still comes to the mobile maternal health program to seek help. Halima's son Yaoun is suffering from severe malnutrition. He is only 18 months old, but he looks younger because he is so underdeveloped. He doesn't even have the strength to cry. The clinic staff weigh him and give him vitamin A and water as a primary measure, in the hope that this early intervention will prevent his disability or death. (Account courtesy of CBM)

MDG 5 - Improve Maternal health

The target for MDG5 is to reduce by 3/4 the proportion of women dying in childbirth by 2015. This target, which was set in 1995 is so far from being achieved, and in some places, we're actually going backwards. Imagine the entire population of Australia, every man, woman and child all getting seriously and permanently injured in one year. How would our hospitals, our communities and our families cope? That is the same number of women affected in a single year by the disabling impairments associated with pregnancy and childbirth: 20 million.

One of the most common and preventable disabilities is fistula. This is caused by not getting the right treatment on time, lack of appropriate support doing the labour process, or by ill-equipped surgeries and harmful medical practices. The permanent consequences are terrible for women, and they include leakage of urine and/or stool, paralysis of the lower half of the body and abandonment by relatives and society.Victims of fistula are physically, emotionally and socially disabled.

Amina's story demonstrates the important link between disability and MDG 5:

Amina is a tiny lady, just over five feet tall, with a weathered face that belies her traumatic past. She and her daughter, Hamisa, live in a remote part of Tanzania, without access to health services. When Amina experienced labour complications with her fifth child, she had to travel four hours to the nearest medical facility. Sadly, she was too late and the child was stillborn.

After the ordeal Amina returned to her village suffering from a fistula. She began to leak urine and faeces uncontrollably and constantly. The smell associated with the incontinence left her socially disgraced. Further heartbreak came when Amina's daughter suffered the same experience as her mother. Her baby died and she too developed fistula. "We both tried to survive as best as we could", says Hamisi, "but we had no more money to try and sort out the problem.".

Finally, Amina and Hamisa heard about hospital that could help them received the surgery they were both desperately waiting form, funded by aid from Australia and recovered from this treatable disability. (Account Courtesy of CBM Australia).

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