Economics: Development Economics: Hot Topic - Millennium Goals

"Those involved in the millennium development goal (MDG) campaign routinely state “Africa will miss all the MDGs.” This paper (by William Easterly) argues that a series of arbitrary choices made in defining “success” or “failure” as achieving numerical targets for the MDGs made attainment of the MDGs less likely in Africa than in other regions even when its progress was in line with or above historical or contemporary experience of other regions. The statement that “Africa will miss all the MDGs” thus has the unfortunate effect of making African successes look like failures."

"This article critically evaluates a non-governmental initiative to empower extremely poor women through entrepreneurial microfinance, and examines the socioeconomic impacts in achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UNMDGs). This article covers both primary and secondary information."