Video 7: Millennium Development Goals documentary

A look at the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and their stated aims

AQA Geography Unit 1 Health, Unit 3 Development & Globalisation and Conflict & Challenge students will find this useful:

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were formed in September 2000 with an end date of September 2015. The end date is here, but hardly anybody has actually heard of the MDGs, so what are they?

They are 8 goals aimed at reducing the causes of global poverty:
1. Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieving universal primary education
3. Promoting gender equality
4. Reducing child mortality
5. Improving maternal health
6. Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensuring environmental sustainability
8. Developing a global partnership for development

Some countries (e.g. Brazil, China) have had a lot of support and have achieved many of the MDGs, while other countries (e.g. Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sub-Saharan Africa) have not achieved any.

The MDGs are meant to be supported by the United Nations and many world leaders. One of the major problems is that international support has not been as forthcoming as promised. Countries, like the UK, have not given time, money, medicines, and food as promised and this has stopped most of the MDGs from being reached meaning that millions of children are still living in unimaginable poverty.

This poignant and heartwarming documentary is well worth a watch, for both students and otherwise. Click here for the link.