In September of 2000, a world summit of global leaders was organized at the headquarters of the UN in New York. At the end of the summit on September 8, 2000 the General Assembly adopted what was called the Millennium Declaration. The declaration was adopted by 189 world leaders.
The declaration aimed at helping citizens in the world’s poorest countries to achieve a better life by the year 2015. The declaration had eight chapters from which were promoted the following eight goals:
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger: This was proposed as a three tier process: first, by reducing the number of people living on less than $1 a day by half; second, by achieving employment for women, men, and young people; and finally to reduce by half the number of people suffering from hunger.
- Achieve universal primary education.
- Promote gender equality and empower women: This was proposed as a two tier process-first by eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015.
- Reduce child mortality.
- Improve maternal health.
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases: First aim was to ensure access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it by the year 2010.
- Ensure environmental sustainability.
- Develop a global partnership for development.
