Description of the Committee:

In 1946 the UN created the ECOSOC Council, which main purpose is to discuss or debate social, economic and environmental challenges the world faces. This Council has broad responsibility for some 70% of the human and financial resources of the entire UN system: including 14 specialized agencies, 9 functional commissions, and 5 regional commissions. The Council’s 54 member states are elected by the General Assembly. This member states gather each July in order to hold their annual month-long substantive session, either in New York, or in Geneva.

 

Introduction:

The United Nations established eight international development goals in the year 2000 for them to be accomplished by the year 2015. Each goal has specific targets and dates to achieve those targets. One of the goals is eradicating extreme poverty and hunger in the world. Three main targets make up this goal. First, halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1.25 a day. Second, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people. And lastly, halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.

 

History:

The Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) were established following the Millennium Summit in the year 2000. With these, 189 United Nation member states and 23 international organizations committed to achieve these goals by the year 2015.  In the year 2002 the UN Millennium Campaign was organized to support and inspire people from around the world to take action in support of the Millennium Development Goal. In the same year, the UN commissioned the Millennium Project to generate an action plan for the world to achieve the MDG’s. The final recommendations were presented to the Secretary-General in a synthesis volume on the year 2005. The 2005 World Summit that was held at the UN Headquarters was an opportunity for 170 Heads of State and Government to take decisions in the areas of development, security, human rights and reform of the United Nations. The agenda was based on an achievable set of proposals outlined in March 2005 by Secretary- General Kofi Annan in his report “In Larger Freedom”. In 2010, the MDG Summit concluded with the adoption of a global action plan and a number of initiatives against poverty, hunger, and disease. With less than two years remaining the goal has not yet been completely achieved.

 

Points of view:

The international community criticizes the goal as lacking analytical power and justification of the chosen objectives. They don’t believe the goals to be achieved by the due date even if the UN seems optimistic about it. While poverty has fallen, the development of the countries has been uneven and it has seems off-target to meet the final deadline. Rich countries are able to achieve the goal while many other countries have yet to show progress.

 

Actual Situation:

With 2 year until the deadline is reached, the goal is not that far from being achieved. The proportion of people under poverty has been halved, the hunger reduction target is within reach but the slowing of economic growth has caused more job losses with young people bearing the brunt of the crisis. One target has been achieved, another is within reach, but the last one is still far from being achieved.

 

Conclusion:

The goal is attainable within the time lapse it has left before the deadline. One goal has already been completed. Another one is within reach. But the last one will require of innovative ways from the delegates and cooperation between the countries if it is meant to be achieved before the deadline occurs.

References:

 

UN (2013) About ECOSOC Retrieved from www.un.org/en/ecosoc/about/‎

 

UN (2013) GOAL 1: ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY & HUNGER Retrieved from http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/poverty.shtml

 

UN (2013) WE CAN END POVERTY Fact Sheet Retrieved from http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/Goal_1_fs.pdf

 

UN (2013) Background Retrieved from http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bkgd.shtml

Séverine Deneulin with Lila Shahani (2009). "An Introduction to the Human Development and Capability

Approach: Freedom and Agency". Retrieved from http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Resources/Publications/Pages/default.aspx#ch03note8

 

UN (2013) Millennium Development Goals Report Retrieved from http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/MDG/english/mdg-report-2013-english.pdf

 

BBC (2010) Uneven progress of UN Millennium Development Goals Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11364717