THE IMPACT OF MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGS) ON THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF RURAL DWELLERS
ABSTRACT
The research propers a conceptual and theoretical appraisal of the impact of millennium development goals on the standard of living of rural dwellers. The nature, structure and objective of millennium development goals are analyzed is related to its impact on the living standard of rural dwellers.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The MDGs were introduced and agreed on at the united nation millennium summit in September 2000 with nearly 190 countries, including Nigeria as signatories to the agreement. The eight MDGs were:
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education;
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and otherdiseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development
According to DFID [2007] the MDGs were introduced as of a wider attempt to encourage the international community to stop talking about making a difference in developing world and join forces to start doing something about it. Alongside the goals a series of 18 targets were also drawn up to give the international community a number of tangible improvement to aim for within a fixed period of time, and also make it easier for them to progress to date . The intention is that almost all of these targets will be achieved by 2015
CHAPTER ONE
1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
There are available statistics to illustrate the extent of the challenges which need to be surmounted in Nigeria’s eorts
to attain the MDGs. One of the greatest threats in this regard is the level and extent poverty which is not prevalent in the rural areas. Statistics on income and social indicators show poverty in Nigeria to be wide spread and severe and the trend increasing. According to Federal Oice of statistics (FOS) and World Bank, the population of the poor in
Nigeria which was 36.1 million in 1985 and 34.7million in 1992, has jumped to 55.8 million in 1997(Human Development report, 1998).
