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As we approach the MDGs ’ end date of 2015 , many targets created by the goals have been met or are well on the way to being met , and , with accelerated action , more can be reached in the next two years . The more that can be achieved on the MDGs , the more credibility the global development agenda beyond 2015 will have .
Since 2000 , tremendous progress has been made on MDG targets , including on reducing poverty , improving access to safe drinking water , and improving the lives of 200 million slum dwellers . Most of the world ’ s children are being enrolled in primary school , with parity on enrolment between boys and girls . Infant and child deaths have dropped dramatically , and targeted investments in fighting malaria , HIV / AIDS , and tuberculosis have saved many millions of lives .
The target of halving the percentage of people suffering from hunger by 2015 is within reach . The proportion of undernourished people worldwide decreased from 23 % in 1990-1992 to 15 % in 2010-2012 . One in eight people , however , still go hungry .
While there have been remarkable improvements in the lives of hundreds of millions of people , the progress has been uneven , and our work will not be finished until we live in a world free of extreme poverty . Millions of people are being left behind - particularly the poorest and most marginalised , minorities , and women and girls . The disparities between and within countries - including between urban and rural areas - can be significant .
A time for equity , inclusion , sustainability , and women ’ s empowerment
To accelerate and sustain MDG momentum , the focus needs to be on equity , inclusion , and sustainability . We need to reach those who have not benefited from their countries ’ progress to date . Achieving the MDGs requires economic growth which is sustainable , inclusive , and equitable .
More determined steps need to be taken to shift to an environmentally sustainable path which protects the ecosystems on which we all depend . At the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development , Rio + 20 , countries renewed their commitment to sustainable development , agreed to establish a set of sustainable development goals , and called for action on using natural resources more wisely .
Since 2000 , tremendous progress has been made on MDG targets , including on reducing poverty , improving access to safe drinking water , and improving the lives of 200 million slum dwellers
Protecting the most vulnerable requires building resilience to shock - whether it comes from conflicts , natural disasters , or volatility in food and energy prices , or other cause - and assisting countries in or emerging from conflict to establish peace and security and to lay the foundations for long-term development .
To accelerate and sustain MDG progress , efforts should focus on actions with the greatest multiplier effects , such as promoting women ’ s empowerment and achieving gender equality . Ensuring equal access by women and girls to education , nutrition , basic services , health care , employment , economic opportunities , and decision-making at all levels is a powerful driver of progress across all the MDGs .
Seize momentum and build on MDG successes now
It is to be hoped that the UN ’ s Member States will agree on a single , universal , coherent development agenda for the post-2015 period . One set of clear , concise , and measurable goals could encompass the eradication of poverty and broader sustainable development challenges . It should be a transformative and equitable agenda which aims at a future where all can enjoy high human development .
The post-2015 agenda should build on the progress achieved on the MDGs , while also addressing both persistent inequalities and the new challenges facing people and our planet .
Worldwide feedback from more than one million people suggests that people want a global sustainable development agenda , backed by national policy action , which enables them to enjoy more empowered , more dignified , more secure , and more resilient lives . They want world leaders to take action to create the conditions for a more equitable , sustainable , and safe world .
Lifting people out of poverty and protecting the planet ’ s resources are two sides of the same coin . Both must be at the heart of the international community ’ s development agenda . Both should be based on a firm foundation of human rights , justice , and the rule of law .
Strong partnerships have been formed to advance the MDGs - bringing together governments with actors in the business community , foundations , academic institutions , NGOs , and other parts of civil society . South-South co-operation is making a strong contribution .
If promises on development assistance are kept and commitments are delivered on by all countries , the enormous progress we have seen on the MDGs can be expanded and deepened in most of the world ’ s countries and regions - both now and beyond 2015 . There are fewer than a thousand days left before a renewed development agenda needs to kick in . In the time we have left with the MDGs , we must accelerate action and scale up what works - with contributions from national governments , the international community , civil society , and the private sector .
We can bring the dream of a world free of extreme poverty into the realm of reality - and we must to give hope to those still suffering the indignity which such poverty represents that they too will live in a more fair and just world .