MILLENIUM DEVELOMENT GOALS

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international development goals that all 193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015. The goals are: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women reducing child mortality rates, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability, and Developing a global partnership for development.

Each of the goals has specific stated targets and dates for achieving those targets. To accelerate progress, the G8 Finance Ministers agreed in June 2005 to provide enough funds to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the African Development Bank(ADB) to cancel an additional $4055 billion debt owed by members of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) to allow impoverished countries to rechannel the resources saved from the forgiven debt to social programs for improving health and education and for alleviating poverty. Debate has surrounded adoption of the MDGs, focusing on lack of analysis and justification behind the chosen objectives, the difficulty or lack of measurements for some of the goals, and uneven progress towards reaching the goals, among other criticisms. Although developed countries' aid for achieving the MDGs has been rising over recent years, more than half the aid is towards debt relief owed by poor countries, with remaining aid money going towards natural disaster relief and military aid which does not further development. Progress towards reaching the goals has been uneven. Some countries have achieved many of the goals, while others are not on track to realize any. A UN conference in September 2010 reviewed progress to date and concluded with the adoption of a global action plan to achieve the eight anti-poverty goals by their 2015 target date. There were also new commitments on women's and children's health, and new initiatives in the worldwide battle against poverty, hunger and disease. Government organizations assist in achieving those goals, among them are the United Nations Millennium Campaign, the Millennium Promise Alliance, Inc., the Global Poverty Project, the Micah Challenge, The Youth in Action EU Programme "Cartoons in Action" video project and the 8 Visions of Hope global art project. The aim of the MDGs is to encourage development by improving social and economic conditions in the world's poorest countries. They derive from earlier international development targets, and were officially established following the Millennium Summit in 2000, where all world leaders present adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration. The Millennium Summit was presented with the report of the Secretary-General entitled We the Peoples: The Role of the United Nations in the Twenty-First Century. Additional input was prepared by the Millennium Forum, which brought together representatives of over 1,000 non-governmental and civil society

organizations from more than 100 countries. The Forum met in May 2000 to conclude a two-year consultation process covering issues such as poverty eradication, environmental protection, human rights and protection of the vulnerable. The approval of the MDGs was possibly the main outcome of the Millennium Summit. In the area of peace and security, the adoption of the Brahimi Reportwas seen as properly equipping the organization to carry out the mandates given by the Security Council. History The MDGs originated from the Millennium Declaration produced by the United Nations. The Declaration asserts that every individual has the right to dignity, freedom, equality, a basic standard of living that includes freedom from hunger and violence, and encourages tolerance and solidarity. The MDGs were made to operationalize these ideas by setting targets and indicators for poverty reduction in order to achieve the rights set forth in the Declaration on a set fifteen-year timeline. The Millennium Summit Declaration was, however, only part of the origins of the MDGs. It came about from not just the UN but also the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The setting came about through a series of UN-led conferences in the 1990s focusing on issues such as children, nutrition, human rights, women and others. The OECD criticized major donors for reducing their levels of Official Development Assistance (ODA). With the onset of the UN's 50th anniversary, then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan saw the need to address the range of development issues. This led to his report titled, We the Peoples: The Role of the United Nations in the 21st Century which led to the Millennium Declaration. By this time, the OECD had already formed its International Development Goals (IDGs) and it was combined with the UN's efforts in the World Bank's 2001 meeting to form the MDGs. The MIB focus on three major areas of improving infrastructure, and increasing social, economic and political rights, with the majority of the focus going towards increasing basic standards of living. The objectives chosen within the human capital focus include improving nutrition, healthcare (including reducing levels of child mortality, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and increasing reproductive health), and education. For the infrastructure focus, the objectives include improving infrastructure through increasing access to safe drinking water, energy and modern information/communication technology; amplifying farm outputs through sustainable practices; improving transportation infrastructure; and preserving the environment. Lastly, for the social, economic and political rights focus, the objectives include empowering women, reducing violence, increasing political voice, ensuring equal access to public services, and increasing security of property rights. The goals chosen were intended to increase an individuals human capabilities and "advance the means to a productive life". The MDGs emphasize that individual policies needed to achieve these goals should be tailored to individual countrys needs; therefore most policy suggestions are general. The MDGs also emphasize the role of developed countries in aiding developing countries, as outlined in Goal Eight. Goal Eight sets objectives and targets for developed countries to achieve a "global partnership for development" by supporting fair trade, debt relief for developing nations, increasing aid and access to affordable essential medicines, and encouraging technology transfer. Thus developing nations are not seen as left to achieve the MDGs on their own, but as a partner in the developing-developed compact to reduce world poverty.

MDG 4: REDUCE CHILD MORTALITY

7.6 million children under five died in 2010. Almost 90% of all child deaths are attributable to just six conditions: neonatal causes, pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles, and HIV/AIDS. During 1960-1990, child mortality in developing regions was halved to one child in 10 dying before age five. The aim is to further cut child mortality by two thirds by 2015 from the 1990 level. Reaching the MDG on reducing child mortality will require universal coverage with key effective, affordable interventions: care for newborns and their mothers; infant and young child feeding; vaccines; prevention and case management of pneumonia, diarrhea and sepsis; malaria control; and prevention and care of HIV/AIDS. In countries with high mortality, these interventions could reduce the number of deaths by more than half. WHO strategies To deliver these interventions, WHO promotes four main strategies: appropriate home care and timely treatment of complications for newborns; integrated management of childhood illness for all children under five years old; expanded programme on immunization; infant and young child feeding. These child health strategies are complemented by interventions for maternal health, in particular, skilled care during pregnancy and childbirth.

Reference: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/childhealth.shtml

ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

The threat of HIV and other sexually related diseases Reported cases increased substantially increased over the past year.Among the 15-24 year olds, reported HIV infections nearly tripled between 2007 and 2008 from 41 cases to 110 per year, which is substantial cause for alarm. In 2009, 15-24 year olds make 29% of all new infections; in 2009, the number of new infections among 20-24 equals the number of new infections among 25-29; with 10 cases see July DoH AIDS Registry Report. The substantial increase from the past year can be traced from the adolescents early engagement in health risk behaviour, due to serious gaps of the knowledge on the dangers of drugs, as well as the cause as well as causes on the transmission of STD and HIV AIDS , dangers of indiscriminate tattooing and body- piercing and inadequate population education. Under this threat, young males are prone to engaging in health risk behaviour and more young fermales are also doing the same without protection and are prone to aggressive or coercive behaviours of others in the community such that it often results to significant number of unwanted pregrancies,septic abortion and poor self-care practices. In addition, there are also other less common but significant causes of disease and deaths namely; Intentional self- harm the 9th leading cause of death among 20-24 years old. In this age group, seven out of 10 who died of suicide were males. In age group of 10-24 years old took up 34% of all deaths from suicide in 2003

Substance Abuse - 15-19 years old group has the claim of drug use; more males than females who are drug users and drug rehabilitaiton centers claim that majority of clients belong to age group of 25-29 years old. According to the SWS survey, 1996- 1.5M youth Filipinos and 1997- grew into 2.1M youth Filipinos are into substance abuse Nutritional Deficiencies there are no specific rates for adolescent and youth, but there is the prevalence of anemia and vitamin A deficiency which may be also high for the adolescents and youth as those known for the younger and pregnant women. Disability Filipinos aged 10-24 years old has an overall disability prevalence of 4%. The most common disability among this age group affected are speaking (35%), hearing (33%) and moving and mobility (22%)

There are also vulnerable Filipino adolescents which can be classified in their respective areas of vulnerability VULNERABLE YOUNG FILIPINOS Sub-groups Vulnerability areas Young among the street- Common infections, physical abuse or assault, dwellers sexual exploitation, drug use, road accidents Out- ofschool adolescents and youth Urban based male youth Female adolescents Not living with parents or family High risk behaviour; smoking, alcohol use, drug abuse, high risk sexual behaviour, risky work conditions leading to injuries and diseases High risk behaviour; transport accidents , other inflicted injuries Sexual abuse, sexual exploitation , unwanted pregranancies, abortion, unsafe pregnancy and insecure motherhood Nutritional disorders, substance use and risky sexual behaviour, other inflcited injuries

Factors Causing Threats to Adolescents Health The alarming patterns of health issues affecting adolescents health is caused by the following factors operating in a systemic manner reinforcing further complexities in the health issues affecting adolescents . Socio-Cultural Factors Demographic Factors Continuing Rapid Population Growth The rapid population growth of the youth creates pressure to the state to expand education, health and employment FO rhtis age group. The pressure creates an imbalance to the distribution and allocation of resources to various sectors especially the youth. The imbalance reinforces deeper the marginalization and deprivation of some sectors to basic services. A viscious cycle is created and more are having difficulties to access provision on health service delivery.

Increased population movement The scarctiy of local employment has triggered the participation of the youth in overseas work. The movemente of the sector has caused displacement from families and love ones increase youths vulnerability to exploitation, low paying jobs. According to a study in 2001, there were more tha 6,000 workers in the teenage group overseas workers and it is most likely that they would land in overseas low paying work. Attitudes, Lifestyles, Sense of Values, Norms and Behaviours of Adolescents Health Risk Behaviors A significant proportion of young people engage in high-risk behaviors 23% ever had pre- marital sex, 57% of first sex experience was unplanned and unplanned. About 70% - 80% of their most recent sexual experiences were unprotected (YAFS, 2002). The 2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey showed that the proportion of 15-24 year olds who were currently smoking, drinking and using drugs were 20.9%, 41.4% and 2.4%, respectively. The proportion is higher among males compared to females. A comparative data (1994 and 2003) showed that among 15 24 year olds, smoking increased by 23%; drinking increased by 10%; drug use increased by 85%; and pre martial sex increased by 30% (YAFSS, 2003). The likelihood of engaging in pre-marital sex is higher among those who smoke, drink alcohol or take drugs. As a consequence of substance and alcohol abuse, some have mental and neurological disorders; others spend the productive years of their life behind bars with hardcore lawless adults. Health Seeking Behavior Adolescents are more likely to consult the health center (45%) or government physician (19%) for their health needs (Baseline Survey for the National Objectives for Health, 2000). The most common reasons for not consulting were the lack of money, lack of time, fear of diagnosis, distance and disapproval of parents. Dental examination and BP monitoring were the most common reasons for consultation (62.4% and 37.8%, respectively).Similalry, Conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth and post partum were among the leading reasons for utilization of in-patient, emergency room and out patient health services at DOH-Retained Tertiary General Hospitals. Low Contraceptive Use The overall use of contraception among sexually active adolescents is at 20%. Non- desire for pregnancy and high awareness of contraceptive methods were not enough to encourage adolescents to use contraceptives. Among the reasons cited for the low contraceptive use were: Contraceptives were given only to married individuals of reproductive age Even if they were made available to adolescents, the culture says that it is taboo for young unmarried individuals to avail of contraceptive services and commodities. Condom use is perceived mainly for STIs, HIV/AIDS prevention rather than contraception

The practice Abortion and Unmet need for Contraception In 2000, induced abortion among adolescents reached 319,000. This is due to the inadequate knowledge on preventing unwanted pregnancies. Consequences of teen-age pregnancies among young mothers include not being able to finish school and reduced employment options and opportunities. In addtion, the social stigma and fear brought about by unwanted pregrancy pushes the young mother to resort to abortion. Although the disapproval rating for abortion remains to be high, there is an increasing trend among those who approve of it (from 4% to 6% in males and 3.5% to 4% in females).On contraceptive use , adolescents also don't use condoms for prevention of HIV,it's not only that they don't use them for contraception. Risk of HIV/AIDS due to Unprotected Sex Adolescents including children living in exteme conditons and great exposure to sexual exploitation and abuse belong to high-risk categories threatened by unprotected sex. Latest data on these shows that majority of people engaged in sex work are young and 70 % of HIV infections involve male-to-male sex. The proportion of young people reported to have STDs/HIV and AIDS is increasing. The YAFS survey showed that although awareness about STDs is increasing, misconceptions about AIDS appear to have the same trend. The proportion of those who think AIDS is curable more than doubled (from 12% in 1994 to 28% in 2002). Many adolescents also resort to services of unqualified traditional healers, obtain antibiotics from pharmacies or drug hawkers or resort to advices from friends (e.g. drinking detergent dissolved in water) without proper diagnosis to address problems of STDs. Improper or incomplete treatment may mask the symptoms without curing the disease increasing the risk of transmission and development of complications. The limited use of condoms to protect adolescents from risk of HIV is an issue to reflection for condom use is not only to prevent pregranancy but also preventing sexually transmitetd disease. r The YAFS 2002 survey showed that Filipino males and females are at risk of STIs, HIV/AIDS. It was reported that 62 % of sexually transmitted infections affect the adolescents while 29 % of HIV positive Filipino cases are young people. In addition, it was revealed that thirty seven percent (37%) of Filipino males 25 years of age have had sex before they marry with women other than their wives. Some will have paid for sex while others will have had five or more partners. Political and Economic Factors Marginalization and Poverty The disturbing poverty situation of households and families where majority of the adolescents belong brings in difficulties to meet adolescents.needs. Poverty is closely link to adolescent health issues. It reinforces to the situation of adolescents vulnerability to health risks due to the lack of access to various services and unsupportive social, political and economic environment. The following are some of the consequences of poverty faced by the youth. Limited Access to Information -among the greatest challenges for Filipino youth is access to correct and meaningful information on sexual and reproductive issues. Limited access to services and commodities-The lack of access to contraceptive services and supplies was among the most frequently articulated concerns with regard to adolescent SRH. Programs such as the AYHDP do recognize adolescents need for access to contraception. Limited awareness of pertinent policies-While the AYHP Administrative order was issued in 2000, few key informants knew of its existence. In fact, many key informants said that no ARH policy existed at the time they were interviewed

Technological Factors Rapid Advancement of Communication The value of technological advancement could never be discounted. However, to the curious and adventurous adolescents various modes of communications are oftentimes abused and misused such as the use of internet and mobile phones. Adolescents then become vulnerable to exploitation, in cybersex and pornography exposing them deeper into risky behaviour. In addtion the digital dependence and addiction causes alienation of adolescetns to personal and closer mode of communciation resulting to a distorted image of the adoelscents relationships to the social environment. This also deprives the adolescents from productive activities where they can develop themselves fully grown up and mature e conomic and socail being Moreover, communcation advantcement has also produced adverstisements and television commercials whose image are not adoelsent- friendly are paving the way for so much consumerism, distorted personal and family values Reference: Dr. Minerva Vinluan http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/338