Are The Millennium Development Goals Fair to Africa?

For those unfamiliar, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that respond to the world's main development challenges. The MDGs are drawn from the actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by 189 nations-and signed by 147 heads of state and governments during the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000.

The eight MDGs break down into 21 quantifiable targets that are measured by 60 indicators.

I came across a very thorough paper earlier this month that I want to share with you. The paper is authored by Bill Easterly(NYU Economist) and it discusses the Millennium Development Goals and how these goals, chosen by a number of industry practitioners, place a considerable downward bias on Africa. In lieu of all the negative press the continent of Africa is regularly bombarded with, I think it is more than appropriate to highlight some of the shortcomings of the MDG’s, which is generally regarded as the “yardstick” for development. This yardstick has proven to be a constant bane to African countries as they work to improve conditions within their respective countries yet receive little credit for doing so. It is argued that if the MDG’s accurately measured development, Africa would be seen in a more positive light.

Summaries of the key shortcomings of the MDG’s as highlighted by Easterly are as follows:

Goal #1: Half the number of people living below the poverty line by 2015 (based on 1997 poverty rates)

Issue: It was less likely that Africa compared to other regions would achieve a 50 reduction in poverty over 25 years because it had the lowest per capita income, which is associated with the smallest percentage reduction in poverty for the same rate of growth.

Goal #2: Obtain universal primary enrollment by 2015

Issue: It was less likely that Africa would attain the LEVEL target of universal primary enrollment because it started with the lowest initial primary enrollment and completion.

Goal #3: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015

Issue: The primary enrollment component of gender equality in schooling is numerically equivalent to universal enrollment, so other regions that were closer to attaining goal #2 got to count the attainment of goal #2 twice (at least for the primary component of goal #3). In addition, even though Africa is catching up in gender equality in changes, the goal was stated as a LEVEL target.

Goal #4 Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate

Issue: A two-thirds reduction in child mortality is less likely when you start at very high mortality, as Africa did.

Goal #5 Improve maternal health

Issue: Africa was said to be failing the goal of reducing maternal mortality by two-thirds, but there were no reliable data on maternal mortality trends.

Goal #6 Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases

Issue: Africa was said to be failing to reduce AIDS, Malaria, and TB prevalence, but there were no reliable data on trends in these prevalence rates.

Goal #7 Ensure environmental sustainability (Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation)

Issue: Africa was relatively falling behind on reducing the percent WITHOUT access to clean water, but it would have been relatively catching up if it had been measured the conventional way of percent WITH access to clean water. The choice of WITH and WITHOUT for percentage change measures depends on assumptions on social welfare that have not been subjected to any serious scrutiny. If one just uses the usual indicator of percent WITH access to clean water, Africa is catching up to other regions.

Link to full article:

http://dri.fas.nyu.edu/docs/IO/13016/UnfairtoAfrica.pdf