Millennium Development Goals – Energy and Poverty Solutions Report (Assessment)

Millennium Development Goals

Millennium development goals were developed by the United Nations to help address some of the issues that were seen to be basic for a person to lead a normal life. These goals were developed after the realization that in some parts of the world, people were leading life that was deplorable. In this century, an individual who lives below one dollar a day is considered to be living in object poverty (World Bank, 2012).

It was also of concern that in this century, some people were still illiterate in a world where information flows freely from one part of the world to another. Another concern was the fact that rate at which individuals, both children and adults were dying was very alarming. There were more concerns that were brought up, and then narrowed down to 8 goals. In this research, the study will focus on only two of the eight millennium development goals.

Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger

This is the first of the millennium development goal. Extreme poverty and hunger degrades life of a person. When an individual is not capable of getting the basic needs such as food and shelter, life loses its meaning completely. This goal was therefore set to ensure that by 2015, the population of those who were living below one dollar a day in 1990 shall be reduced by half (Schubert, 2010).

This will be a positive sign that the world is getting more accommodative to everyone from various parts of the world. Indicators for monitoring progress of this goal include the following.

1. The proportion of the population below one dollar per day.
   1. This indicator is “ends” because it is the ultimate goal that is to be achieved.
   2. It is however, a subjective goal because it varies between individuals.
   3. It is qualitative in nature because it uses descriptive statistics.
   4. It falls in the family of basic needs.
2. The poverty gap ratios.
   1. This indicator is “means” because it is a path towards achieving equality.
   2. It is objective because it has normative judgment.
   3. It is qualitative because it uses descriptive data.
   4. It falls in the family of inequality.
3. The share of the poorest quintile in the national consumption.
   1. This is indicator is a “means” because it helps in finding the path to eradication of poverty.
   2. It is objective because of the normative judgment.
   3. It is quantitative because of the use of numerical statistics.
   4. It is in the family of access to assert.

The above three indicators helps in the determination of how well this goal is being achieved.

Combat HIV/AIDs, malaria and other diseases

HIV/AIDs still remain one of the leading disasters in many countries around the world, especially the developing countries. There is still a massive misconception and perception of HIV in Africa and other developing nations. In these countries, people still perceive HIV as something that is very shameful because it is associated with sexual immorality.

To many, a diagnosis of this syndrome is always a sign that the ultimate end of it will be death within a period of less than one year. It is not surprising therefore, to note that several thousands of people die of this disease weekly from various countries around the world. The victims and their families would always undergo a lot of trauma if one of their own is tested positive of HIV.

After their death, the families they leave behind suffer for lack of proper care by those who are left behind to care for them. It is therefore, of great concern that the United Nation treated this issue with urgency with which it deserves. Malaria was another concern. The disease is very prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to the report by World Health Organization, malaria is one of the leading causes of infant mortality rate. This disease does not spare the adults either. What is worrying is that the disease can easily be treated, and risks associated with it averted if the correct medicine is administered correctly. The following are the indicators for monitoring the progress of this goal (Bose, 2010).

This goal aims at having a universal access to the treatment of HIV for those who are infected.

1. The indicator for this is the proportion of the populations who have advanced HIV infection, and have access to antiretroviral drugs.
   1. This indicator is “ends” because it is the ultimate goal for those who are HIV positive.
   2. It is objective because it is normative judgment.
   3. It is quantitative because it uses numerical data.
   4. It is in the family of access to assert.
2. Proportion of those suffering from HIV at the age between 15 and 24 years.
   1. This indicator is “means” because it leads to the process reducing the population of those who suffers from this disease.
   2. It is objective because it is a normative judgment.
   3. It is quantitative because it is a numeric data.
   4. It is in the family of basic needs.
3. The rate at which condom is used among the high-risk groups.
   1. This indicator is “means”.
   2. It is objective because it is normative judgment.
   3. It is quantitative because it uses numerical data.
   4. It is in the family of access to assert
4. Proportion of the population who are aged between 15 and 24 years who have comprehensive and correct knowledge about HIV/AIDs.
   1. This indicator is “means” because it leads to the process reducing the population of those who suffers from this disease.
   2. It is objective because it is normative judgment.
   3. It is quantitative because it uses numerical data.
   4. It is in the family of basic needs.
5. The ratio of the school attendance for the orphans to the school attendance of the non-orphans aged below 14 years.
   1. This indicator is “ends” because it is the ultimate goal for those whose parents die of this disease.
   2. It is subjective because it is refers to personal perspective.
   3. It is quantitative because it uses numerical data.
   4. It is in the family of basic needs.
6. Incidences and death rate that is associated with malaria.
   1. This indicator is “means” because it leads to the process reducing the population of those who suffers from this disease.
   2. It is subjective because it is refers to personal perspective.
   3. It is quantitative because it uses numerical data.
   4. It is in the family of capabilities.
7. The proportion of infants who are under five years treated mosquito nets.
   1. This indicator is “means” because it leads to the process reducing the population of those who suffers from this disease.
   2. It is objective because it is normative judgment.
   3. It is quantitative because it uses numerical data.
   4. It is in the family of access to assert.
8. The proportion of infants aged below five years who have fever, but have access to treatment.
   1. This indicator is “ends” because it is the ultimate achievement of this millennium goal.
   2. It is objective because it is normative judgment.
   3. It is quantitative because it uses numerical data.
   4. It is in the family of access to assert.
9. Prevalence, death rates and incidences associated with TB.
   1. This indicator is “means” because it leads to the process reducing the population of those who suffers from this disease.
   2. It is objective because it is normative judgment.
   3. It is quantitative because it uses numerical data.
   4. It is in the family of inequity.
10. The proportions of tuberculosis incidences that were detected and then cured at early stages.
    1. This indicator is “means” because it leads to the process reducing the population of those who suffers from this disease.
    2. It is objective because it is normative judgment.
    3. It is quantitative because it uses numerical data.
    4. It is in the family of basic needs.

The above are the indicators that will show how well this objective is being achieved over a specified period of time.

Exploring Indicators and Developing Index

1. Australia has the highest percentage of their total land area covered with forest with over 15000 hectors of land covered with forest, while Kenya has the least percentage of less than 999 hectors of land covered with forest (World Bank, 2011).
2. Correlation Between HDI: Loss due to Inequality Income and HDI: Income Index.

According to the International Human Development Indicators, there is a strong correlation between HDI: Loss due to income and HDI: Income index. This is demonstrated in the chart shown below. Income index will always have a direct effect on HDI loss due to inequality of income.

According to Boardman (2010), when the income inequality is bigger, this is an indication that the wealth of the country is held by just a few. These few individuals do not have the capacity to spend as much as the larger population that is left with very little to spend. This would easily lead to reduced HDI income index. This is what the bubble chart below is demonstrating.

Bubble char

1. GDP Per Capita in the United Arab Emirates from 1980-2010

The United Arab Emirates is one of the countries which have had a consistent growth of their per capita income. This country is one of the leading exporters in the Middle East. The statistics shows that the per capita income of this country in the year that ended in 2010 was $ 47900. This is a massive improvement from what it was in 1980. The graph above demonstrates this.

1. The correlation between Non-income Dimension of HDI and HDI: Income

Non-income dimensions of the HDI are correlated with HDI: Income. These non-income dimensions will have an effect on the income dimensions in the long run. These non-income items will have some form of relationship with income in one way or the other.

Development Index

Health is one of the most important factors in the ensuring that a society is freed from poverty and other economic related complication. According to Boardman (2010, poor health is one of the leading reasons why poor nations still remain poor. Poor health makes it impossible for a person to work and generate income.

For this reason, a sick person ceases to be an asset to the immediate family. Such a person becomes a liability to the family. This becomes even more complex even if the sick person is the bread winner of the family. The figure below shows

HDI: Health Index for life expectancy

The indicator in this case will include reduced infant mortality rate, reduced cases of deaths caused by malaria, reduced HIV related deaths. The weights for the above three indicators are 20%, 25% and 45% respectively. Reduced deaths due to HIV related issues have been given the highest weight because it still remains the biggest issue among the middle aged group.

This reduces life expectancy within a country. From the figure above, Japan has the highest life expectancy. People in this country have higher chances of growing into old age. Conversely, Sierra Leon has the lowest life expectancy.

There is no surprise in this because Japan is one of the richest countries in the world. Most of the Japanese live above the poverty line. On the other hand, most of the citizens of Sierra Leon live below the poverty line.

References

Boardman, B. (2010). Fixing fuel poverty: Challenges and solutions. London: Earthscan.

Bose, R. (2010). Energy efficient cities: Assessment tools and benchmarking practices. Washington: World Bank.

Daley, H. (2011). New pathways out of poverty. Sterling: Kumarian Press.

Schubert, R. (2010). Future bioenergy and sustainable land use. London: Earthscan.

World Bank. (2011). World development indicators. Washington: World Bank.

World Bank. (2012). World Development Indicators 2012. Washington: The World Bank.