At the Millennium Summit in 2000, all United Nations Member States pledged to pursue an ambitious global agenda for peace, human rights and development, an agenda embodied in eight time-bound and measurable Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), most of them to be achieved by 2015. Achieving these goals will lead to the halving of extreme poverty and hunger; primary education for all children; progress towards gender equality; sharply reduced rates of death for children and mothers; a halt and reversal of the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases; more sustainable use of natural resources; and stronger partnerships between rich and poor countries on issues of aid, trade, debt and technology.

ACHIEVING THE MDGs WILL REQUIRE THE EFFORTS OF MILLIONS OF ORDINARY PEOPLE THROUGH VOLUNTARY ACTION