In September 2000 leaders from United Nation´s member states came together in New York to adopt the United Nations´ Millenium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership for creating humane conditions and reducing extreme poverty for all by the year 2015. This was outlined through a series of time-bound targets.
The Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) are addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions: hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, income poverty, and exclusion, while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. They are likewise basic human rights - the right of each person on earth to survival, health, education, shelter, and security.
Goal #1 – Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal #2 – Achieve universal primary education
Goal #3 – Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal #4 – Reduce child mortality
Goal #5 – Improve maternal health
Goal #6 – Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal #7 – Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal #8 – Develop a global partnership for development
Since 2005, the World Summit Youth Award has been organized four times - in 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2011 - as a follow up activity of the World Summit on Information Society and its action plan towards the year 2015. In 2010 the WSYA Winners Event took place in New York with a special focus on the MDG Review Summit of the heads of state and government in September 2010.
Find out more at: http://www.undp.org/mdg/