The Millennium Development Goals were agreed upon by the international community back in 2000. The goals include measurable and achievable targets on reducing global poverty, and improving access to education, water and other benchmarks. When those goals were conceived, the countries of the world envisioned achieving them by 2015.

Now that we're at the halfway point (or a little beyond), many people are wondering how far we've come toward attaining these goals.  The UN Millennium Campaign has some answers in a detailed report

In the meantime, Salil Shetty, director of the Millennium Campaign, spoke to us at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Portland about the progress we are making towards these goals. (Thanks to St. Luke member Lisa Wenwick for organizing this event). 

July 2007 marks the halfway point for the Millennium Development Goals, a set of 8 targets to help the world’s poorest countries develop. Seven and a half years ago, 189 nations around the world signed the Millennium Declaration, which states that leaders “have a collective responsibility to uphold the principles of human dignity, equality and equity at the global level.” These signatory nations also set eight specific targets for the year 2015, known collectively as the Millennium Development Goals.
How are we doing at this mid-point check in?

Goal 1: Between 1990 and 2015, halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger and who live on less than one dollar a day.

Assessment: Hunger is decreasing around the world, but progress is uneven. Eastern Asia has reduced hunger dramatically, but Sub-Saharan Africa and Western Asia are not on track to meet the 2015 goals.

Goal 2: Ensure that by 2015, all boys and girls will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.

Cory Verner with Christians Ending Poverty posted about his experience at The Gathering 2007.  I was really moved by his point about advocacy for the poor:

This conference convinced me though that advocacy IS one of the most important activities in the fight to help the poor. Why? Because the poor don’t have the resources necessary to organize, lobby and protect themselves from entities who are primarily interested in promoting self-serving agendas. Read more.

Speaking of advocacy, Jim and Jane Marentette from Durango, CO were featured in an article about lobbying their representative - Rep. John Salazar.  Check out the Durango Herald.

You can go to the site http://www.globalrichlist.com/ and see how your salary compares with the rest of the world earnings.  Even on my stipended internship, I’m in the top 12% of world earners, which is ironic considering I work at a non-profit organization to end poverty and hunger.   I know that cost of living and purchasing parity distorts that – but I want to step back and ask myself how well I’m using that money.

I live within my budget, putting a little aside for savings, and using money charitably as well. I’m not as radical as Shane Claiborne and sewing all my own clothes – but I do get most of them from thrift shops.  Is that enough?

What would you say if you had the chance to speak to the President? I pondered this question as I stood by the elevator yesterday morning, directing Fortune 500 members, government officials, and various NGO leaders up to the VIP reception. President Bush would be delivering a speech at 10:10 AM to introduce his proposal to double AIDS money for developing countries, and I was a lucky volunteer who would get a seat at the conference as a reward for my ushering efforts. “Mezzanine level,” I repeated dozens of times that morning, as my mind wandered over towards that hypothetical conversation.