"Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men who were not opposing you.” James 5:4-6
Millennium Development Goals
In September 2000, all 189 member states of the United Nationssigned on to the Millennium Development Goals – a set of eight targetswhich aim to halve world poverty by 2015. Each target hasclear indicators to measure progress and success.
The goals, which all have a target date of 2015,are:
1. Eradicate extreme povertyand hungera. reduce by half the proportion of people living on less thana dollar (US) a day
b. reduce by half the proportion ofpeople who suffer fromhunger
2.Achieve universal primary educationa. ensure that all children complete primary schooling
3.Promote gender equality and empower womena. ensure girls have the same access to education asboys
4.Reduce child mortalitya. cut infant and child deaths by twothirds
5. Improve maternal healtha. reduce by three quarters theproportion of women dying inchildbirth
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
a. halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
b. begin to reverse the incidence of malaria and other diseaseslike TB
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
a. reduce byhalf the proportion of people without access to safe drinkingwater
b. transform the lives of at least 100 million slumdwellers by 2020
c. reverse the loss of environmentalresources
8. Develop a global partnership for development
a. address issues such as trade, debt, aid and public health topromote economic growth and poverty reduction
For more information on the goals see the followinglinks: