Women and the Millenium Development Goals

It is 2009 and we are one year closer to the 2015 deadline of the Millennium Development Goals. We are past halfway, but how far have we come? Are we any closer to achieving gender equality? Are women more empowered than they were 9 years ago? MDG #3 is to Promote Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, and it seems that the success of all the other goals hinges on this one.

I read an interesting website the other day which looked at all 8 of the MDGs through a gendered lens. In each case, women’s needs need to be specifically addressed in order for the goal to be achieved. Here is a summary, plus my little opinions:

#1 Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
Poverty is feminized. Women the world over have less access to education and resources, yet bear the burden of the majority of the productive, reproductive and cultural work. The majority of people who live in poverty are women, and women who head households are poorer than their male counterparts. Women represent the greatest labour force in agricultural production, but they lack equal access to credit, training and markets.

#2 Achieve Universal Primary Education
Education of girls and women is a major step in breaking the cycle of poverty. Women who are educated are healthier, as they have fewer children and marry when they are older, and healthier women are more productive and have more access to resources and decision-making power in the household. The greater a women’s control over resources within a household, the more resources will be allotted to education, health and nutrition.

#3 Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Of the world’s one billion poorest people, 3/5 are women and girls. Gender equality in rights, resources and voice must therefore be in place to ensure women's equal access to the opportunities that allow them to pursue a dignified and progressive life based on informed choices.

#4 Reduce Child Mortality
The number of years of education that a woman has has a direct positive impact on reducing the Under 5 mortality rate. The more educated a women is, the healthier she is and the healthier her children will be.

#5 Improve Maternal Health
Once again, the more education a women has, the more control over household resources she has. She has more control over her own body, her fertility and the number and spacing of her children. Women who are healthier and have better nutrition have a better chance of healthy pregnancies and safe births.

#6 Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases
Women are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Biologically, women are more susceptible to infection and socially, women are vulnerable because they often lack the power to dictate when, where and how sexual intercourse takes place. More women live in poverty than men and oftentimes they must resort to prostitution in order to support themselves and their families, which puts them at risk. Also, the burden of care falls to women, as they have to care for those who are infected. Often this means pulling girls out of school, which then fuels the cycle of poverty.

#7 Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Women are much more affected by climate change as they are the primary agriculturalists in the world, and are responsible for collecting water and fuel. For women, climate change means an increasing scarcity of water and food, which compounds their already vulnerable position.

#8 Develop a Global Partnership for Development
Women make up roughly 50% of the population of the world and therefore should have 50% of the decision making power. If women can form solid membership in institutions of governance and poverty reduction they can influence national and international policies. As half of the world’s population, they represent an active force in development.