The World Is Getting Healthier
PHOTO VIA FLICKR
According to key findings of the World Health Organization, May 2014, much progress has been made towards reaching the UN’s 8 Millennium Development Goals — a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and leading development institutions.
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child mortality
- Improve maternal health
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- Global partnership for development
Key findings of the report showed that:
- Globally, the number of deaths of children under 5 years of age fell from 12.6 million in 1990 to 6.6 million in 2012.
- In developing countries, the percentage of underweight children under 5 years old dropped from 25% in 1990 to 15% in 2012.
- Globally, new HIV infections declined by 33% between 2001 and 2012.
- Existing cases of tuberculosis are declining, along with deaths among HIV-negative tuberculosis cases.
All UN groups are currently evaluating and rewriting the MDG goals. For example, a briefing strongly recommended that safety for media persons should be included as a new goal. The goals will be introduced at the General Assembly meeting in 2015 as the Post 2105 goals. Read more at www.un.org/millenniumgoals.
Source: Curriculum of Hope for a Peaceful World, Summer, 2104.
