When the MDGs were adopted in 2000, many civil society organisations thought the targets and goals were too minimal considering the challenges of development and poverty in most developing countries. Ten years down the line, these minimal targets are not met, and may not be achieved by 2015 if the world, especially Europe continues to waver on its commitment to fund development in Africa. Africa is currently going through devastating challenges, poverty is increasing and health services and education continue to be a major challenge to the teeming poor.
In 2010, the hunger target is far from been met, and will not be met as long as we continue in this path, the pre-MDG reduction in hunger in the 1990s are been reversed as the number of hungry people continue to increase. The climate change and recent food and economic crisis have exacerbated this trend. Since 2008 an additional 105 to 200 million people have been added to the hunger statistics bringing the total to more than one billion people today . Sadly, the majority of these hungry people are small farmers, rural poor and landless people of which a vast majority are women who have little or no access to support from government or donor community. Today, one in three living in sub-Saharan Africa is undernourished . With these, where then is the world’s commitment to halving extreme poverty? – Poverty is rather been multiplied not halved.
Progress in reducing infant mortality, improving maternal health and reversing the spread of killer disease like malarial, HIV/AIDs and tuberculoses have been scandalously and unacceptably low. In 2008 there was only 28% improvement in child mortality than in 1990 . Even this is currently been reversed. It is argued that an Ethiopian child is 30 times more likely to die by its 5th birthday than a child in Italy or Spain . The children die of illnesses that could be saved my simple and cheap measures like rehydration, vaccines, antibiotics, anti-malaria and bed nets . Maternal health related MDG (MDG goal 5), is the most off tract. Reports indicate that here has been no measurable change in sub-Saharan Africa in two decades . The life time risk of dying in pregnancy and childbirth in Africa today is as high as one in 22 compared to one in 120 in Asia and one in 7300 in rich countries . While it is almost a crime for woman to die during child birth in developed countries of Europe, it is almost a life and an acceptable way of living in Africa. In Nigeria, it is not uncommon to see family saving resources to make sure their wives travel to Europe, Asia and America to give birth. Very few women today benefit from adequate antenatal and prenatal care.
Although there are reported cases of reduction and progress in the fight against malaria – up to 50% in 27 countries as at 2006 compared to 1990, the rate of malaria related deaths are still generally unacceptable – it is reported that a child dies from malaria every thirty seconds . There is more tuberculoses today than there was in any other time in human history – 9.4 million new cases reported in 2008 . The initial progress in HIV/AIDs is been reversed as a result of donor policy inconsistency and wavering commitments. As it is, the 2010 target to provide universal access to treatment has been obviously missed – only one half of the 9.5 million people in need of treatment were receiving it in 2008 . The pandemic is far outpacing prevention even in places that recorded successes like Uganda.
The fear is that, if things continue as they are, come 2015, the world will be worse than it was in 2000 when the MDGs were declared. It is therefore important to take action. Europe as the major donor community – contributing close to 60% of global donor resources has an important role to play, just like governments of the receiving countries. Unfortunately the global economic crisis has become the biggest alibi or excuse. European governments are busy cutting their aid budgets. While not denying the existence of this crisis and the need for national governments and regional institutions to respond to it, it is important to note that the solution cannot simply be found locally. It is an international crisis and the solution has to be international. Some of these cuts are even disproportionate – while national budgets are being cuts in fractions, aid happens to be a soft target, with up to 50% cut or more in some cases. We are not under any illusion that aid will solve all the development challenges in Africa; it is simply an immediate palliative to respond to the excruciating condition of the people in developing countries. This must be met with national and international policy reforms that can provide socio economic and political space and opportunities for the developing countries to grow their economies. Poverty is a structural problem not natural, it has more to do with global inequality and injustices – aid will therefore not solve the problem, but there is need to respond to the immediate challenges while concurrently carrying out the structural changes that will enhance sustainable development. It is also important to note that aid is not about charity, it is an important international commitment and obligation, which should not be toiled with.
Europe as the traditional African development partner has a big responsible to reverse the negative trend. It cannot afford to renege on its commitment to give up to 0.7% of its GNI by 2015. The increasing economic crisis and dwindling aid is already negatively impacting on some African countries. As indicated earlier, as poverty increases, state repression increases. Africa has in the last 15 years made progress in democratisation and human rights, this could be reversed as poverty and economic crisis deepens, we are already seeing the signs, Ethiopia is completely a repressive one party state with a ruling party vote of 99%. The military have taken over power in Guinea and Niger republic just as it was earlier done in Mauritania. These have strong implication for regional peace and security. There is a strong relationship between economic crisis, poverty and insecurity in Africa. The years of wars are not over, despite the tremendous progress in containing some of them. Congo is still fighting, Niger is almost erupted a few months ago, serious instability in Chad, and Sudan is in crisis, same as Zimbabwe. It is better to give aid in peace time, than to send soldiers on peace keeping or manage millions of refugees!
Similarly, crisis and chaos could deepen the problem of migration and refugee crisis in Europe with strong implication for European economy. Migration is a natural phenomenon, people will always move from areas of low concentration of development to those with high concentration. No amount of policing or security barriers will stop it. The ultimate solution is to decentralise development – providing opportunity for all in all places. This enhanced opportunity is currently being undermined by growing economic crisis and dwindling aid resources.
This call is not just about MDGs, it is about humanity. Poverty is the biggest crime against humanity, we need to fight it. Children of Africa have rights to quality education, health care, food and job. Europe has a responsibility to reverse this ugly situation.
No comments:
Post a Comment