The major global response to the scourge of poverty is encapsulated in the UN Millennium Development Goals [MDGs]. These eight goals were agreed to by all governments at the 2000 UN Millennium Summit. They lay out what the international community hopes to achieve by 2015, such as the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education and reducing child mortality. This document considers the MDGs, action required in three particular areas of concern as well as obstructions to progress, such as the lack of a specific target or benchmark.
