Global development: Millennium development goals

Abstract

You decide to take a year out from medical school to work with a health development NGO in South East Asia on a project measuring Millennium Development Goal (MDG) progress. Initial research takes you to the local UNDP office and it becomes clear that MDG 3 (Gender equality and female empowerment) in particular is a falling behind. You are told about the UNDPs attempts to accelerate MDG progress towards 2015. In local communities the feeling towards the MDGs are mixed with many locals telling you they find the MDGs irrelevant and unhelpful. These appear to be a mismatch between global development planning initiatives and the reality of community development.