Summary
Highlights
The video starts by posing a question about the change in extreme poverty over the last 20 years and introduces the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These eight goals were agreed upon by almost all member countries of the United Nations in 2000 to reduce extreme poverty globally.
The first MDG aimed to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. Between 1990 and 2010, the proportion of the world's population living in extreme poverty was halved from 36% to 18%. Child underweight rates also decreased from 25% in 1990 to 15.1% in 2012.
MDG 2 focused on achieving universal primary education. The number of children not attending primary school reduced from 120 million in 1990 to 58 million in 2012, showing significant progress towards this goal.
The third MDG sought to promote gender equality and empower women. The proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments increased from 12.8% in 1990 to 22.1% in 2014.
MDG 4 aimed to reduce child mortality. The number of children dying before age five per 1,000 live births decreased from 90 in 1990 to 48 in 2012. Some countries, like Malawi, achieved a 75% reduction.
The fifth MDG was to improve maternal health by reducing maternal deaths. While the goal of a 75% reduction wasn't met, maternal deaths per 100,000 births decreased from 380 in 1990 to 210 in 2013, indicating significant improvement.
MDG 6 focused on combating preventable diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria. Global efforts led to better access to treatment for tuberculosis, saving 22 million lives in 20 years.
The seventh MDG aimed to ensure environmental sustainability. Since 1990, 2.3 billion more people gained access to safe drinking water, with 89% of the world's population now having clean water.
MDG 8 focused on developing a global partnership for development. Significant progress has been made across all MDGs, though spatial inequality remains. As the MDGs conclude, the global community is preparing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to continue addressing extreme poverty from 2015 onwards.