Full Coverage: MDGs

28.12.2007 UNDPÂ’s latest Human Development Report 2007-08 titled: Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a divided world, talks of how people across the globe have already started facing the adverse effects of climate change. It makes a passionate call to act now before this ecological catastrophe becomes unavoidable.

28.12.2007 Patriarchal attitudes towards female literacy are hostile in many traditional societies, including that of Pakistan. Breaking the shackles of tradition, women are now seeking ways to educate themselves and their daughters.

20.12.2007 An animated green parrot with a riddle is the latest campaign on HIV/AIDS launched by BBC World Service Trust in India. Targeting men in the southern states, where rates of infection are among the highest, the advert encourages people to talk about sex while trying to solve the clues.

18.12.2007 UNESCOÂ’s recent report presents quite a bleak scenario of the state of education in Pakistan, where six million children are not attending schools. With the country spending less than 3% of its GDP on education, the organisations like ChildrenÂ’s Resource International are playing a crucial role in spreading literacy.

14.12.2007 A recent UNICEF report signals progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.

14.12.2007 World Food Programme has drawn attention towards seven countries in the world, which are vulnerable to hunger. Two of them are in South Asia – Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

11.12.2007 Teams from India have traveled to east and southern Africa to build capacities and provide training in community-based models to reduce child mortality. UNICEF in its report: Progress for Children launched on December 10, highlights progress in several areas, but also stresses the importance of more urgent action.

08.12.2007 In a country where expert advice is hard to find, Nepal’s community health volunteers known as ‘miracle women’ are doing a great job by diagnosing illness, prescribing medicines and running immunisation campaigns. This story is part of a UNICEF series on an upcoming report: Progress for Children, to be launched on December 10, on advances towards the MDGs.

06.12.2007 Deep-rooted social attitudes, practices and stereotyping are hampering progress towards dealing with the spread of HIV/AIDS in Pakistan. A cultural tradition of exchanged marriages known as ‘watta satta’ makes it almost impossible for women to disclose their HIV status.

06.12.2007 The right to decent work of persons with disabilities, a new report by ILO calls for renewed efforts to support people with disabilities in the world of work. Many among approximately 470 million disabled persons of employable age often face disproportionate levels of poverty and unemployment.

05.12.2007 A three-day conference on poverty eradication began in Indian capital New Delhi. Organised by Development Alternatives and Price Waterhouse Coopers, the conference aims to highlight the achievements of seven-year long largest civil society initiative, known as Poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) programme, to eradicate poverty.

05.12.2007 A recently held workshop in Jaipur, capital of north Indian state of Rajasthan, on HIV/AIDS, expressed concern over the evidence that male-to-male sexual transmission of HIV makes significant contribution to the epidemic in India. The situation is grimmer in northern India including highly vulnerable state like Rajasthan.

04.12.2007 On December 1, World AIDS Day, a unique train began its journey from Indian capital New Delhi. Named as ‘Red Ribbon Express’, the train during its one-year long journey will reach out to millions of people spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS.

03.12.2007 On the occasion of International Day of Disabled Persons, December 3, Juan Somavia, DG of the International Labour Office in a message emphasised on the need to provide employment to people with disabilities and allow them to live with dignity. Exclusion of the disabled results in a loss of some US $1.94 trillion to global GDP.

01.12.2007 A landmark Nepali radio show on sexual health is messaging AIDS awareness to young people living in rural areas and helping them speak out their fears. The show, developed by UNICEF and produced by local NGO Equal Access Nepal, is broadcast on national radio and 30 local FM stations.