Setting the tone of development, the United Nations held a Millennium Summit during September, 6-8, 2000 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Making it a grand success was the participation of 149 Heads of State and Government besides high-ranking officials from 40 other countries. The leaders of various nations agreed for a global partnership to achieve targets for eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the end of 2015. These MDGs include, (1) eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; (2) achieve universal primary education; (3) promote gender equality and empower women; (4) reduce child mortality; (5) improve maternal health; (6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; (7) ensure environmental sustainability; and (8)develop a global partnership for development. Monitoring the progress of MDGs during early 2015, the UN has shown satisfaction that at least three of the eight millennium development targets – on poverty, slums and water – have been met with. However, a lot of work is yet to done on other goals where the targets are far away. The world development scenario is changing very fast. Many nations are caught in the quagmire of economic and industrial development. Huge national resources are required to achieve the targets of MDGs laid down by the UN. Efforts by all the stakeholders are laudable and are bearing fruit. Post-2015 agenda has also been set by the Un for meeting the targets of MDGs. The countries leading in this pursuit can share their wisdom as how to achieve the unfulfilled targets
Professor S. P. Singh, Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief, Human Biology Review
Former Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences,
Punjabi University, Patiala, India