The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for 2015 aim to halve poverty and hunger, school the world’s children, arrest disease, provide gender equality, spare mothers and their infants from untimely deaths, save the environment and forge global partnerships in the pursuit of development.
The 2009 MDG report notes many successes. The poverty target seems achievable. Between 2000 and 2007 worldwide enrolment in primary education increased from 83% to 88% with Asia and Africa showing double digit growth. Deaths of children under five declined by an estimated 28% from 1990 to 2007. There has also been a 97% reduction in ozone layer depleting substances.
Challenges abound. The global financial crisis has had a grim impact. Hunger in developing regions rose in 2008. The estimated global unemployment rate in 2009 could reach 7.0% for men and 7.4% for women. These numbers may reveal new economic hurdles to gender equality. Disproportionate successes in eastern Asia contrast against more modest gains in the poorer regions of Africa. Increasing commodity prices threaten the availability of food and also weakens governments’ ability, policies and resolve to reduce their impact on the poor. The need to revitalize public health and educational efforts was also identified.
With such a broad scope there is bound to be debate. There are those, like Amir Attaran of the University of Ottawa, who consider the goals to be sometimes immeasurable. On the other hand some view the MDGs as being an inspirational vision of the future. Top level participation in global policy isn’t the LEAD program’s goal. Its focus would be in targeted national initiatives such as the distribution of HIV retroviral treatments, Bangladesh’s IMCI projects, Mali’s “Struggle Against Poverty” program and support for Brazil’s Bolsa Familia program, with an aim to increase their chances of success.
As you can see, I would like to expand my currently lacking altruism to a new area of my life. Do I have the skills to be of value. I have neither a PhD nor other tertiary education in economics or developmental sciences. Even so, I feel I can actively and effectively participate with an NGO in aiding in the achievement of the MDGs.
For example, my public sector career began while working on the program to computerize the Government of Jamaica’s revenue collection process and while stationed in Panama, I worked for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago in promoting trade between that country and Latin America.
The importance of training, mobilization, promotion, governmental partnerships and public relations in public health was made very clear to me when I participated in diabetes educator programs as a Caribbean region health care sales and marketing professional.
I truly enjoy my current job as a global program manager at Google because of the human element. Technology is so often viewed as the cure, but it is the people and the processes they use that get the job done. The challenge on which I now thrive is in understanding the paradox of managing without authority, influencing through trust and commonality, determining how divergent needs can lead to common goals, and knowing the respectful importance of a handshake.
These skills developed over a 20 years have taught me to be adaptable, lead by example, implement effectively and be open to mutual learning for greater human understanding . This is the value I bring to achieve the MDGs. I hope there is an NGO out there that is willing to hear more. It is time for me to actively participate in volunteer efforts.
