Millennium Development Goals and the Nigerian Youths.
Posted: Friday, August 03, 2007
by Rahaman Onike
The Millennium Development Goals were adopted in the year 2000 by all the world’s governments as a blueprint for building a better world in the 21 st century. The MGDs represent a global partnership and this is arising from commitments and targets set at the world summits of the 1990s. As a universal declaration, it consists internationally agreed framework of 8 goals and 18 targets which was complemented by 48 technical indicators to measure progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. These indicators, of course, were adopted by a consensus of experts from the United Nations, IMF, World Bank etc. Simply, the Millennium Development Goals focus the efforts of the world community on ways to achieve significant and measurable improvements in people’s lives. The first seven goals are mutually reinforcing and are directed at reducing proverty in all its forms. The last goal which is global partnership for development is about the means to achieve the first seven goals.
Nigeria which was among the 189 countries that signed the Millennium Development Goals in September 2000 is yet to achieve the end of implementing in full, the goals. The Nigerian government has not been able to provide adequate water and nutrition for the citizenry. The annual budgetry allocation to the health sector is still not sufficient. Despite the richness of our land, people are still suffering from hunger.
It is also disheartening that the rate of poverty in Nigeria is a little above seventy percent of the total population. The rate of unemployment too is not seriously declining. As the sixth largest exporter of oil, we are still hosting the third largest number of poor people after China and India. According to 2005 review of Nigeria Millennium Development Goals, Nigeria has adequate potentials to attain some of the Millennium Development targets namely: achieving universal primary education; ensuring environmental stability and developing a global partnership for development. The report states further that given the current policy environment and strong political will, there is also the likelihood of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by the year 2015.
Similarly, the rate of achieving the Millennium Development Goals vary across the globe. Out of all the countries of the world, countries situated in Sub-sahara Africa region, due to our stagnated development, recorded least success in eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. We are yet to record 70 per cent success in our universal basic education programme due to increase in drop-0uts rate of the school and low enrolment rate in the nation’s educational system. There is still high incidence of child mortality not only in Nigeria but it cut across sub-sahara Africa. Maternal mortality and HIV/AIDS are also prevalence in Nigeria. This score card which was issued by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in collaboration with other world bodies indicates that the developing countries which include Nigeria are still struggling to realize fully the Millennium Development Goals.
Youths have roles to play in ensuring full implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. The future development of any nation depends on the youths. There is no single definition of youth. Here, it is defined as a person who has fully matured, energetic, productive and has the potentials to contribute to the productive economy. At times, chronological age criterion can be used, in which case, persons between the age 18-45 are being regarded as youths. Nowadays, the use of the word youth is becoming more elastic as those who have attained the ages a little above 45years wish to be recognized as youths especially when they are still healthy, agile and young in apprearance. Hence, the need to examine the reference and provision for the youths in the actualization of the Millennium Development Goals. There is no much reference to problem of the youth in the global agenda for the 21st century. Youth’s reproductive health issues including unintended pregnancy, abortion, HIV/AIDS and other sexuality transmitted diseases at if affects the youths supposed to be part of the agenda and targets of the Millennium Development Goals. Since youth decisions about their sexual and reproductive health affect not only their lives, but also the health of the global community, this justifies the need to include it as part of the targets of the MDGs. More importantly, youths need to be involved in promoting and propagating the ideas, philosophy and ideals of the Millennium Development Goals especially at country level. Government also needs to include young people in developing and implementing strategies for effective realization of the Millennium Development Goals. Also, there is the need to include youths as part of the country delegations to General Assembly meetings that are based on MDGs.
Moreover, youths need to be encouraged to support and moblize for MDGs through Advocacy. Youths can equally be involved in monitoring and compilling progress report of the country’s MDGs. They are also to support government in tailoring the implementation of the MDGs to suit the local needs, circumstances and realities. The aspect of the MDGs which is concerned with the achievement of the universal primary education for all by 2015 does not cater for the Nigerian Youths. Hence, the need to expand the scope beyond primary education. This is because, the education required of a youth to acquire necessary skills in order to be gainfully employed or to be qualified to join either the public service or private sector is obviously more than the advocated primary school education. This is another area where the issue of youth empowerment comes in. Lastly, youths as the most active population of the nation can as well serve as volunteers in advocating, promoting and monitoring the policy performance of the nation towards Millennium Development Goals.
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Top-level comments on this article: (10 total)very informative and educative article.
i wouldlike to leave a comment; it is agreeable that the youth have a part to play in the achievement of the millenium goals by 2015. the only thing i think that causes a basic challenge to the average Nigerian youth is RESPONSIBILITY. if only we could be a little more responsible and see ourselves as beneficiaries to the goal and not just feel that we are obliging the nation , i think things could be better.
this article is very helpful,however it is very disapppointing that Nigeria has a long way to go in achieving a major developmental goal. What can we do?- Bukkie
this article has been very useful ,fortunately i am researching on this topic for my M.SC Project,but it is so sad that despite the fact we call ourselves "GIANT OF AFRICA" we are yet to achieve this goals.
My friend had a great challenge in his project and I was concerned,when I came across this article, his problem was solved. Please am very delighted about this article, it's very helpfull.Very concise educating and informating.
I find this article very interesting and informative. Interseting in the sense that the article was well constructed. Informative becausec it has recent statistics. Well, i'l like to intrfcoduce our organization's initiative in propagating the course to attain MDGs in Nigeria before 2015. We call it YET. Yotuh Express Themselves. The club is Writers and Speakers' club.Presently we are focusing on the MDGs and for the january editioin we shall be hosting 100 underghradutaes in Federal University of Technology Akure.The event is sponsored by indomie noodle. We would appreciate you as a resource person. Our contact: 080629743234,07031589778
this is an interesting and educative article. I spent almost an hour scrutinising and meditating on this article despite my tight schedule. most Local governments are not supportive to this goals and it is a clear fact that more than 60% of the population live very close to local governments. grassroots people are the major targets of the MDGs and until those gullible local government chairmen (not all of them anyway) are ready to be responsive that Nigeria will commence journey towards achieving the goals. Oyewale, Oyegoke Solomon, Ibadan, Oyo State
The article is indeed helpful. i am publishing a book in that line, permit me to share your idea with the larger world. God bless. Tunji Francis
I dont know how Local government chairmen can understand these concept( MDGs )so that they can tie their development efforts to it. It is therefore my desire that awareness is created at the grassroots levels for it. Again, why are MDGs going to be attained in Nigeria by 2015? Such reasons should have been highlighted. However,the article was well researched.
The article was well packaged. I was oppurtuned to be a MDG facilitator were i did my service year: Kano State, Minjibir L.G. i was able to put a write up to the Local Government on Environmental Sustainability. Also sensitize the Federal Government Girls College, Minjibir on Improve Maternal Health. it was so helpfu to them. i thank God that i was part of the awareness creation project. 07068249945
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