The MDGs are a set of poverty-busting targets agreed by 189 nations in the year 2000. They cover hunger and extreme poverty, education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, environmental sustainability, and a commitment to global cooperation for development.

As a quick guide, we’ve put together a new page that explains the MDGs and progress towards them, do have a look and share with your networks — we will continue to update this page as the clock ticks closer to 2015.

Please also urge your friends and family to join ONE. Now more than ever we need to make sure we hold leaders to account over the promises they made to the world’s poor.

We’re big proponents of holding countries to their promises, and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight whoppers. Progress in the developing world is almost exclusively measured against the targets laid out in the MDGs, and with good reason — every single member of the United Nations (UN) committed to them. More than a decade after these commitments were made, how far have we come?

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2011 is the annual assessment said to be the most comprehensive measure of progress toward the MDGs. The report is compiled from the most up-to-date data by more than 25 UN and international agencies. This year’s report was launched last week by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who says there is reason to celebrate, as major successes have been made since the Millennium Development Goals were established in 2000. A closer look shows the noted but not dwelled-upon fact that progress has been uneven across countries and across sectors.

Many of the reports I read about international development issues follow the same course as this one. It starts with the goal (in this case the MDGs), and follows with a few cream-of-the-crop statistics — sometimes global, but usually focusing on a few model countries or regions. The bulk of the report is a good news/bad news analysis of the progress being made and progress yet to be made, a few recommendations (example: focus on girls, fragile states or vulnerable populations) and the report ends in tables of data, an anticlimactic but invaluable resource to those of us who pore over them for updates. This is not a categorically bad recipe. Progress should be highlighted, and top-line facts (here in the global press release for the report) help all of us make the case for effective development programs. But with a report this big, covering this many issues, it’s easy to take “global progress” for granted and miss the point.

The progress we’ve made toward the MDGs is uneven and the most vulnerable populations are being left behind. Missing data and large countries’ progress paints a picture that is more fantasy than reality.

To be fair, the report acknowledges this: “Although many countries have demonstrated that progress is possible, efforts need to be intensified. They must also target the hardest to reach: the poorest of the poor and those disadvantaged because of their sex, age, ethnicity or disability. Disparities in progress between urban and rural areas remain daunting.” Monitoring progress on poverty reduction in particular is plagued by a lack of quality data. Data necessary to make comparisons for all of the MDGs is available in less than half of countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Using the data we do have, how is sub-Saharan Africa doing?

Global poverty rates have fallen because in China and India, the number of people living in extreme poverty since 1990 declined by about 455 million, with an additional 320 million people expected to join them by 2015. While it is estimated that the global poverty rate will fall to 15 percent by 2015, more than a third of those living in sub-Saharan Africa will still live on less than $1.25 a day in 2015.

Sub-Saharan Africa has made the most progress of any region in primary education, mostly because there was so much progress to be made. More than 75 percent of children in sub-Saharan Africa are now enrolled in primary education, but 29 million children are still out of school there.

The highest levels of under-five mortality continue to be found in sub-Saharan Africa, where 1 in
8 children die before the age of 5, around 18 times the average of developed regions. At the same time, four of the 10 countries with more than a 50 percent reduction in child deaths between 1990 and 2009 are in sub-Saharan Africa. Maternal mortality fell by only 26 percent in sub-Saharan Africa between 1990 and 2008, though evidence suggests that progress has picked up speed since 2000. The vast majority of maternal deaths are avoidable with proper medical care, especially during childbirth.

While the HIV incidence rate fell significantly in sub-Saharan Africa, it still remains the most affected region. In 2009, 33.3 million people were living with the virus — a 27 percent increase compared to 1999. While 11 countries have reduced malaria cases and deaths by more than 50 percent, 90 percent of all deaths from malaria still occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sub-Saharan Africa nearly doubled the number of people using an improved drinking water source — from 252 million in 1990 to 492 million in 2008. Coverage in that region increased from 49 percent in 1990 to 60 percent in 2008.

Progress in all of these areas is commendable, and in some cases, very encouraging. As more progress is made, however, it will take more and more effort to reach the most vulnerable populations. The MDGs are a critical yardstick, but it’s vital we not lose sight of the trees for the forest. Progress is being made, but we have a lot of work yet to do.

I seriously can’t believe Thanksgiving is only one week away. I’m usually pretty bad about taking time to reflect and be thankful, but that changed just 13 minutes ago.

13 minutes ago, I hit play on a stop-you-in-your tracks kind of video. It’s longtime ONE supporter Bob Geldof talking before a crowd of folks at the end of the UN Millennium Development Goal Summit in New York City early this September.

I know that doesn’t necessarily sound that exciting, but trust me on this one. It’s a must watch. It’s funny, powerful, hit-you-in-the-gut good. I’ve never seen anyone talk so powerfully about our journey in the fight against poverty — or leave me so inspired to want to do even more.

So, take a look for yourself. It’s a little long, but it’s guaranteed to give you goosebumps. And I’d love to hear what you think after you’ve taken a look. Leave a comment right below!

As Nicholas Kristof said in his New York Times column last week, the cycle of poverty in the developing world can start as soon as a child is conceived:

“Perhaps the most striking finding is that a stressful uterine environment may be a mechanism that allows poverty to replicate itself generation after generation. Pregnant women in low-income areas tend to be more exposed to anxiety, depression, chemicals and toxins from car exhaust to pesticides, and they’re more likely to drink or smoke and less likely to take vitamin supplements, eat healthy food and get meticulous pre-natal care.

The result is children who start life at a disadvantage — for kids facing stresses before birth appear to have lower educational attainment, lower incomes and worse health throughout their lives. If that’s true, then even early childhood education may be a bit late as a way to break the cycles of poverty.”

But there’s still hope. One of the five takeaways of the MDG Summit (from our very own Nora Coghlan) was the Summit’s signature initiative, the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health — a comprehensive plan to save the lives of 16 million mothers, newborns and children by 2015. MDGs Four and Five have been put at the top of the priority list for the final stretch leading up to 2015, and organizations, such as 1,000 Days are focusing specifically on the issue of maternal and early nutrition as a means to save millions of lives.

While listening to the discussion, several themes jumped out at me.

Although progress has occurred, it’s not always well known or understood. David noted that while there’s still a lot to do — especially on the health and education MDGs — the last decade has witnessed notable increases. For example, the number of people receiving life-saving ARVs has jumped from from 50,000 to 5 million. Millions are sleeping under bed nets, which has cut malaria deaths in half in some countries. And 42 million more kids are attending school in sub-Saharan Africa than a decade ago.

Administrator Shah called out a new study released by the Center for Global Development, which found significant MDG progress in 17 African countries. David correctly acknowledged that the advocacy community has not been as effective as it could have been in making Americans aware of these important achievements.

And yes, better understanding will help, but what is really necessary is an awareness of the outcomes and impact of these efforts. We should go beyond just measuring how many children go to school. We should find out how educated the population is becoming, what skills they are developing and what factors create a healthy society that is more productive and better able to increase growth.

It’s all good rhetoric, but action will be the test. The MDG outcome statement is a nice document with lots of good principles, saying many of the right things. But if that’s all that comes from the Summit, it will be a meaningless exercise.

As David pointed out, global development leaders face an immediate action moment in about two weeks when they will convene to make pledges to the next replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. A significant commitment there will be a strong indicator of how serious the world is about meeting the MDG health goals, the area where there has been the least progress in the past decade.

Money is part of the equation but other factors are critical. No amount of resources will guarantee achievement of the MDGs. Many non-monetary elements are just as important. David talked about the role of trade, private investment and good governance. Dr. Shah underscored the importance of building capacity in developing countries and letting local governments and society assume control of their own development.

USAID operates under numerous constraints but are starting to get things done. One listener sent in a question about MDG 8‘s call for greater coordination, coherency and transparency. How does that line up with the U.S.’ 26 agencies managing global development programs? Administrator Shah recalled the famous (or infamous) Lael Brainard chart showing the “spaghetti bowl” of current U.S. foreign aid goals, programs, and lines of responsibility.

David expressed sympathy for the administrator for trying to manage a development process and agenda that is 50 years old and badly out of date. But the fact is that USAID is beginning to act on important reforms. They’re building up policy and budget capacity. They’re fixing procurement and contracting procedures that will lead to greater capacity on the ground to assist local stakeholders in taking control of their own development. They’re strengthening the agency’s ability to measure results. They’ve promised a more transparent website that will allow Americans and those in the developing world better understand and evaluate U.S. assistance.

These may seem like unglamorous and largely bureaucratic actions, but they’re critically important to achieving the ultimate goal of reducing poverty and achieving economic growth for hundreds of millions around world.

So tune in and watch the rerun. And tune in next week to the U.N. Summit and make up your own mind whether global leaders are ready to step up and act on their commitments to make significant progress on the MDGs over the next five years.

The U.N. Summit on the MDGs is a week from today — but don’t panic if you can’t immediately remember the difference between MDG 4 or 6 or 3 or 8. We’ve got you covered!

Here’s YouTube playlist of just a few of our favorite MDG videos through the years. Organizations like UNICEF, GOOD magazine and the U.N. Foundation have done an incredible job of interpreting the eight poverty-fighting goals. And while a few of the stats are now out of date (since the videos span over several years), the overall message is still exactly the same: it’s time to come together and help achieve the MDGs.

Got a video to add to our MDG playlist? Share it with us in the comments below.

This week’s conversation will focus on achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). With the U.N. Summit on the MDGs just around the corner, this is the perfect time to chime in with any last-minute questions on MDG challenges, opportunities and next steps.

To submit a question, head over to the State Department’s blog, DipNote, and write up your question in their comments section. Or, Tweet it to @StateDept.

The discussion will take place online on Thursday at 10:15 AM (EDT). We’ll post up the video stream right here on the ONE Blog.

I hope you’re excited as we are — past Conversations with America participants include Ambassador Holbrooke, Ambassador Eric Goosby and Special Representative to Muslim Communities Farah Pandith. We’re honored to be participating in this event, so join us if you can.

Hot off the presses — it’s ONE’s new report, titled “Africa’s Future is Female.”

So what’s this new report about? Here’s a quick description: If the world is serious about tackling extreme poverty and disease, then it’s time to step up our investments in Africa’s women and girls — and the U.N. MDG Summit in New York City next week is the perfect place to begin.

Study after study has shown that, if women are given the tools they need, they can help lift communities out of poverty and transform millions of lives. For instance, when women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families, compared with only 30 to 40 percent for men.

And the good news is that the world is starting to sit up and take notice of the African women who have been leading some of the incredible advances on the continent over the past decade. The women profiled in this new ONE report –- from a Tanzanian sweet potato farmer to the director general of Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission –- are all leaders in their own right.

But even with all these powerful stats and unbelievable female leaders, women worldwide still make up an estimated 70 percent of all people living in extreme poverty.

It’s time to make a change—and we hope this new report will help move us in the right direction. Filled with compelling stats, stories and recommendations for next steps, we hope you’ll take a read and let us know what you think!

Today is the final day of the groundbreaking Global Maternal Health Conference, the first international technical conference focused exclusively on maternal health. This exciting conference, organized by EngenderHealth’s Maternal Health Task Force, brings together more than 600 maternal health experts in New Delhi, India to discuss one of the most challenging fields in global health.

Although progress has been made, maternal mortality rates remain unacceptably high, especially in the developing world. Approximately 343,000 mothers die each year during childbirth and 80% of those deaths could be prevented if women had access to basic maternal health services.

This conference aims to build consensus and catalyze action around evidence, programs and policy to achieve Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Five and improve the lives of mothers around the world.

To bring attention to pressing maternal health needs globally, the first two days of the conference have featured numerous exciting events and presentations, including a film screening of ONE supporter Christy Turlington’s film “No Woman, No Cry.”

For those of us that were not able to make the trip to India, conference presentations have been posted on the Global Maternal Health Conference website.

- Brooke Riley, health research assistant, ONE