*[Enwl-eng] [cenn] Ban Ki-moon: A Thousand Days to Keep theMillennium Promise

[ENWLine]

A Thousand Days to Keep the Millennium Promise

By Ban Ki-moon



A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, but starting this
week we can march a thousand days forward into a new future.



On April 5th, the world will reach a vital moment in history’s largest and
most successful anti-poverty push – the 1,000-day mark before the target
date to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.



These eight concrete goals were set in the year 2000, when more leaders than
ever before gathered at the United Nations and agreed to cut global poverty
and hunger by half, fight climate change and disease, tackle unsafe water
and sanitation, expand education and open doors of opportunity for girls and
women.



It was not the first time leaders had made lofty promises. Cynics expected
the MDGs to be abandoned as too ambitious. Instead, the Goals have helped
set global and national priorities, mobilize action, and achieve remarkable
results.



In the last dozen years, 600 million people have risen from extreme
poverty – a fifty per cent reduction. A record number of children are in
primary school -- with an equal number of girls and boys for the first time.
Maternal and child mortality have dropped. Targeted investments in fighting
malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis have saved millions of lives. Africa has
cut AIDS-related deaths by one-third in just the past six years.



There are also Goals and targets where we need far more progress. Too many
women still die in childbirth, when we have the means to save them. Too
many communities still lack basic sanitation, making unsafe water a deadly
threat. In many parts of the world, rich and poor alike, inequalities are
growing. Too many are still being left behind.



To accelerate action, the international community should take four steps
now.



First, scale up success through strategic and targeted investments that have
a multiplier effect, boosting results in all other areas: one million
community health workers in Africa to serve hard-to-reach areas and keep
mothers and children from dying of easily preventable or treatable
conditions; scaled-up investments in sanitation; universal access to primary
health services, including emergency obstetrical care; and adequate supplies
to address HIV and malaria.



Ensuring equal access by women and girls to education, health care,
nutrition and economic opportunities is one of the most powerful drivers of
progress across all the Goals.



Second, let us focus on the poorest and most vulnerable countries, home to
some 1.5 billion people. Often dogged by famine, conflict, poor governance
and large-scale organized criminal violence, these countries are finding it
most difficult to make progress despite their best efforts. Many have not
yet achieved a single MDG. By investing in regions such as the Sahel, the
Horn of Africa, and Central Asia, we can promote a virtuous circle of
economic development, human security, and peace building.



Third, we must keep financial promises. Budgets cannot be balanced on the
backs of the poorest and most vulnerable. It is ethically unacceptable and
it will help neither donor nor recipient. Despite austere times, many
countries have been exemplary in honouring pledges. New donors among the
emerging economies are also stepping forward. We should applaud these
efforts and encourage more.



Fourth, the 1,000-day mark should be a call to action to a global movement
from governments to the grassroots who have been so critical to success. We
should also harness the full power of technology and social media –
opportunities that were not available when the Goals were formulated at the
turn of the century.



The MDGs have proven that focused global development objectives can make a
profound difference. They can mobilize, unite and inspire. They can spark
innovation and change the world.



Success in the next 1,000 days will not only improve the lives of millions,
it will add momentum as we plan for beyond 2015 and the challenges of
sustainable development.



There will be much unfinished business. But, as we look to the next
generation of sustainable development goals, we can find deep inspiration
knowing that the MDGs have shown that, with political will, ending extreme
poverty is achievable and within our grasp.



Let us make the most of the next 1,000 days and make good on our Millennium
promise.



Ban Ki-moon is the Secretary-General of the United Nations



A video message from the Secretary-General has been recorded and is
available at:

<http://downloads2.unmultimedia.org.s3.amazonaws.com/public/video/SG_1000_Days_VM.mov>http://downloads2.unmultimedia.org.s3.amazonaws.com/public/video/SG_1000_Days_VM.movT+99532 275 19 03/04F +995 32 275 19 05 <mailto:in...@cenn.org>in...@cenn.org<http://www.cenn.org/> www.cenn.orgFrom: "Info CENN"<in...@cenn.ge>To: "0"<enwl...@lew.spb.org>Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 4:31PMSubject: [cenn]Ban Ki-moon: A Thousand Days to Keep the Millennium Promise--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * ENWL * ------------Ecological North West Line * St. Petersburg, RussiaIndependent Environmental Net Service: http://www.bellona.ru/enwl/Russian: ENWL(discussions), ENWL-inf(FSU information), ENWL-misc(any topics)English: ENWL-eng (world information)en...@lew.spb.org, enwl...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.orgSubscription, Moderator: vf...@lew.spb.org or en...@enw.net.ruArchive: http://enwl.bellona.ru/pipermail/and http://groups.google.com/group/enwl/SEE ALSO: http://www.bellona.org (English)and http://www.bellona.ru(Russian)RSS: http://groups.google.ru/group/enwl/feeds?hl=ru(C) Please refer to exclusive articles of ENWL-------------------------------------ONLY if your address is subscribed:Enwl-eng mailing listEnwl-eng@enwl.bellona.ruhttp://enwl.bellona.ru/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/enwl-eng