GOAL ONE- ERADICATE EXTREME HUNGER AND POVERTY Elizabeth Hoger

WATER AND SANITATION

Target 7c, aims to halve the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015, relative to 1990 levels. At the current rate of progress the world is unlikely to meet the target for sanitation. However, progress against the drinking water target is tracking well and the world is expected to exceed the target.

The Australian Government recognises the importance that improving water and sanitation can have on the health and livelihoods of people living in poverty.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Australia works with governments to promote an enabling policy and institutional environment for rural development, private investment and business development.

Activities Agricultural research and development. Community-driven, small-scale rural

infrastructure. Safeguards for the rural sector Asia-Pacific small and medium enterprise

development program

REGIONAL STABILITY & COOPERATION

Australia provide assistance to organisations that promote regional integration and cooperation. Australia's support to the ASEAN Secretariat stretches back over a period of 30 years and will continue to increase with a focus on security and prosperity in the East ASEAN subregion in collaboration with multilateral development banks and key donors.

Likewise, Australia also provides support for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum as well as programs that contribute to greater integration within Asia and between South Asia (the Indian subcontinent) and East Asia.

MINE ACTION

Australia is a strong supporter of mine action and in 2009 was ranked as the sixth largest contributor to mine action. Since 1997, Australia has contributed more than $200 million towards global efforts to reduce the threat and impact of landmines and other explosive remnants of war.

program’s engagement in reducing the threat and impact of landmines and other explosive remnants of war.

Australia's goal improved quality of life for victims—including survivors

and their affected families and communities reduced number of deaths and injuries enhanced capacity of countries to manage their mine

action programs effective leadership and advocacy by Australia on mine

action.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Australian support for infrastructure development focuses on: improving poor people's access to essential

infrastructure services such as water supply and sanitation, transportation and energy

assisting the creation of enabling environments for both private and public financing and management of infrastructure

supporting human resources development, institutional strengthening and capacity building in the infrastructure sector.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND AUSTRALIA'S AID PROGRAM

Australia's aid program supports human rights through a framework of six principles: Human rights are a high priority for the Government. Civil and political

rights are ranked equally with economic, social and cultural rights. The aid program will continue to undertake activities that directly address

specific economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights. A particular emphasis will be on the creation of durable institutional capacity to promote and protect human rights.

The emphasis will be on the practical and attainable. AusAID, as the Government's aid agency, will pursue practical aid activities in support of human rights. These activities complement and build upon high-level dialogue on human rights. Dialogue on human rights and representations about individual human rights cases will normally be carried out through diplomatic channels.

The aid program will develop activities primarily as a result of consultations and cooperation with partner countries on human rights initiatives. Regional and multilateral activities will also be undertaken.

Considerable care will continue to be applied to the use of aid sanctions associated with human rights concerns. The Government will consider such sanctions on a case-by-case basis. Aid conditionality based on human rights concerns would only be used in extreme circumstances since it can jeopardise the welfare of the poorest and it may be counterproductive.

AusAID will continue to link closely with other arms of the Australian Government on governance and human rights issues. AusAID will also liaise with NGOs and human rights organisations in Australia.

HEALTH, HIV/AIDS AND PANDEMICS

Investing in health in developing countries is a high priority for the Australian Government.

To achieve these targets, the strategy recommends a focus on six priorities: intensifying HIV prevention; optimising the role of health services within HIV

responses; strengthening coordination and capacity to scale up

HIV responses; reviewing legal and policy frameworks to enable

effective responses to HIV; building the evidence base for an effective HIV

response; and demonstrating and fostering leadership on HIV.

GOVERNANCE

AusAID is deepening its understanding of governance beyond just government and formal institutions to the importance of leadership, political dynamics, and informal institutions. The work is focussing on: leadership politics, state and society inter-relationships law, justice and anti-corruption efforts improving the capacity and effectiveness of the

public sector. Australia is committed to work at all levels of society in partner countries to support improvements in government capability, responsiveness to citizen needs, and accountability.

GENDER EQUALITY AND DEVELOPMENT

In Bangladesh, Australia has helped more children to attend school. More than 700,000 students, particularly girls who have never enrolled or who have dropped out of mainstream schools, were given the opportunity of an education in the year to June 2009.

Australia has helped women who were subjected to violence

Australia is improving the health and wellbeing of women and children

Australian support is helping more women take on leadership roles in government, business, schools and within their community

FOOD SECURITY

The initiative focuses on:  lifting agricultural productivity improving rural livelihoods building community resilience.In response the Australian Government developed a comprehensive approach targeting the immediate impacts of the crisis on the poorest, while also strengthening the foundations of long-term global food security. This response included emergency food assistance, increased funding for rural development and international collaboration to prioritise food security issues and pursue trade policy reforms.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Australia has committed significant resources to combat the effect of climate change globally and in our region.

Australia was one of the 30 developed and developing nations that negotiated the Copenhagen accord (December 2009), which commits the international community to keeping the global temperature rise to two degrees Celsius or below.

Australia has announced its commitment to provide $599 million in the 'fast-start' period.

Australian Official Development Assistance toward addressing climate change is estimated at around $160 million in 2010–11. 

EDUCATION

While the focus of Australia's support depends on the diverse needs of partner countries, the priorities of the Australian aid program are to: improve the functioning of national education

systems to enable more girls and boys to complete primary school and progress to higher levels of education

improve the relevance and quality of education, including in vocational and technical education, so students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for life and productive employment.

ECONOMIC GROWTH, AID AND DEVELOPMENT

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

DISABILITY IN AUSTRALIA'S AID PROGRAM

THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Eradicate extreme hunger and poverty•Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day•Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people•Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger

Achieve universal primary education•Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

Promote gender equality and empower women•Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015

Reduce child mortality•Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate

Improve maternal health•Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio•Achieve universal access to reproductive health

Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases•Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS•Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it•Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases

Ensure environmental sustainability•Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs and reverse the loss of environmental resources•Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss•Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation•Have achieved by 2020 a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum

Develop a global partnership for development•Address the special needs of least developed countries, landlocked countries and small island developing states•Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system•Deal comprehensively with developing countries’ debt•In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries•In cooperation with the private sector, make available benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications

KEY FACTS ON THE MDGS

Significant progress since 1990: 280 million fewer people living in extreme poverty 40 million more children in school 4 million more children survive each year 4 million people now receive HIV/AIDS treatment in

developing countries Formidable challenges ahead:

1 billion people in extreme poverty 72 million children not in school 9 million children die each year 360,000 women die from treatable complications of

pregnancy and birth Over 33 million people infected with HIV/AIDS, 2 million

die each year Half of the developing world lacks sanitation