Introduction
Contextually, the situation of Malawi concerning Sustainable Development (SD) is commendably growing in the realms of poverty reduction, development of tourism industry, exploitation of natural resources, environmental protection, and handling issues related to HIV/AIDS reduction among others (Economist Newspaper 1).
This follows the efforts exerted by the Malawians, support from the government, and viable programs established and funded by the UN to ensure that the country attains its dreams on SD through MDGs. Additionally, the establishment and periodic success of Millennium Villages (in the southern district of Zomba and central district of Mchinji) have indicated Malawi’s progress concerning sustainable development (Voanews 1). The Malawi Poverty Reduction Strategy (MPRS) and the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) were established to uphold the provisions of SD. Through its MDGs, Malawians have been endorsed to use resources sparingly while conserving the environment for future generations. This constitutes the major obligations of SD when considered in the Malawian context and beyond. In Malawi, SD is a critical obligation steered by the UN through its varying projects. The country serves as a vulnerable state, which benefits comprehensively from the UN’s programs in various contexts. This is demonstrated by the mentioned MDGs and Millennium Villages in Malawi.
Economic Sectors
Various economic sectors in Malawi including agriculture, transport, health, and tourism have established the provisions of SD through environmental consciousness and HIV/AIDS awareness. Various sectors ranging from agriculture to transport systems and health provisions have ratified the requirements of SD (Sparks 80). In this milieu, Millennium Villages in Malawi have been established and steered through a powerful ideology. This includes poverty eradication enabled by transforming the lifestyles of the concerned citizens to meet MDGs. This has been possible by empowering the concerned citizens with proven, powerful, sustainable, affordable, practical, and relevant technologies.
UN (through its Millennium village programs by Jeffery Sachs) has massively invested in health, food production, education, clean water, infrastructure, and other viable developmental provisions while observing the aspects of sustainable development in Malawi. MDGs and SD provisions have engaged the community in these programs and educated them to act responsibly while providing them with the necessary support. Community-led interventions will allow the concerned villages in Malawi to escape extreme poverty. According to statistics, nearly 1 billion people globally are languishing in extreme poverty. This is a devastating provision when considered comprehensively. Through MDGs and SD, the UN helps Malawi through its numerous programs targeting common people. Although there are other parts of Malawi, which have not ratified and embraced the provisions of SD, the progress is quite commendable when considered critically (Tambulasi 98). It is important to understand that involving the public and engaging various economic sectors to practice the provisions of sustainable development might take time due to numerous challenges evident in the process. Nonetheless, the progress is quite commendable in Malawi. It needs more support from international communities, organizations, government, and other concerned bodies to ensure that the country attains its aims about SD.
NGO’s
NGO’s are currently helping in various contexts. Sustainable development entails numerous provisions when considered resolutely. Various economic sectors ranging from agriculture to the environment must be engaged to attain the desired goals. It is crucial to understand such aspects about the UN and its missions in Malawi. Being a country whose economy depends on agriculture especially tobacco cultivation, the country has to consider health concerns about tobacco effects (Voanews 1). Malawi will only achieve its objectives regarding sustainable development through NGOs working cohesively with the government agents. In this context, NGOs are contributing considerably to ensure that the country (Malawi) remains stable, eradicates poverty, conserves the environment, accesses clean water, stays healthy, and embraces sustainable development. It is crucial to understand these stipulations about the UN and its developmental objectives in Malawi and the eradication of extreme poverty. Various households can now access clean drinking water, pregnant women can access prenatal HIV testing for improved health provisions, chronic malnutrition has been reduced considerably, and vital infrastructures have been made fundamental provisions.
Conclusion
There is a massive connection between HIV/ AIDS problems that Malawi is currently facing with the MDGs and SD. In Malawi, Chibuku Products Ltd operates beer halls/taverns where local communities (usually men) come to drink. Local women or ‘tavern mamas’ operate these facilities to enhance awareness against HIV/AIDS, dispel myths regarding the disease among women and the entire society, provide counseling services, and engage MANSO in attaining its objectives. MDGs and SD provisions have been incorporated in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Malawi. Despite the efforts enacted by the UN in Malawi, several improvements are still recommendable in the entire context. Contextually, the government and UN should enhance their programs and spread them to other parts of the country to harmonize its objectives regarding sustainable development (Daley-Harris & Anna 177). Engaging other local authorities can also help in establishing and enacting SD in various parts of Malawi. Additionally, it is important to educate Malawians on the importance of STD, HIV/AIDS awareness, poverty eradication, and economic enhancement.
Works Cited
Daley-Harris, Sam, and Anna Awimbo. New Pathways Out of Poverty. Sterling, VA: Kumarian Press, 2011. Print.
Economist Newspaper. Jeffrey Sachs and the millennium villages. 2012. Web.
Sparks, Donald. Advances in Agronomy Vol-109. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2010. Print.
Tambulasi, Richard. Reforming the Malawian Public Sector: Retrospectives and Prospectives. Dakar, Senegal: CODESRIA, 2010. Print.
Voanews. Malawi Rural Dwellers Benefit from Millennium Villages. 2012. Web.