News outlets report on the U.N.’s final assessment of the Millennium Development Goals.

The Guardian: U.N.: 15-year push ends extreme poverty for a billion people
“The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have driven ‘the most successful anti-poverty movement in history’ and brought more than a billion people out of extreme penury, but their achievements have been mixed and the world remains deeply riven by inequality, the U.N.’s final report on the goals has concluded. Ban Ki-moon, the U.N. secretary general, said that while the 15-year push to meet the eight goals — on poverty, education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, disease, the environment, and global partnership — had yielded some astonishing results, it had left too many people behind…” (Jones, 7/6).

The Guardian: What have the Millennium Development Goals achieved?
“The Millennium Development Goals have targeted eight key areas — poverty, education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, disease, the environment, and global partnership. Each goal is supported by 21 specific targets and more than 60 indicators. Below, we’ve looked at what has been achieved on some of the targets within each goal…” (Galatsidas, 7/6).

New York Times: Global Poverty Drops Sharply, With China Making Big Strides, U.N. Report Says
“Dire poverty has dropped sharply, and just as many girls as boys are now enrolled in primary schools around the world. Simple measures like installing bed nets have prevented some six million deaths from malaria. But nearly one billion people still defecate in the open, endangering the health of many others…” (Sengupta, 7/6).

NPR: U.N. Report Highlights Surprising Global Progress On Poverty Goals
“…The number of people who live in extreme poverty has dropped by more than half. Many say a catalyst for this was a commitment by world leaders back in 2000. They vowed to meet an ambitious set of goals to reduce poverty by this year, 2015. NPR’s Nurith Aizenman brings us the first of a two-part report on these Millennium Development Goals, as they’re called. Today — why the goals proved so surprisingly successful…” (Siegel, 7/6).

Thomson Reuters Foundation: 800 million still hungry and poor despite progress of millennium goals: U.N.
“…But progress has been uneven across regions and countries, the U.N. said, and the new sustainable development agenda should focus on inequalities to improve the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable people. World leaders are due to adopt a set of new development objectives — known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — at a U.N. summit in September. The new goals aim to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030…” (Mis, 7/6).

U.N. News Centre: Lessons from Millennium Development Goals ‘springboard’ for future U.N. agenda — Ban
“… ‘As we reflect on the MDGs and set our sights on the next 15 years, I am confident that we can deliver on our shared responsibility to end poverty, leave no one behind, and create a world of dignity for all,’ Mr. Ban said at the launch…” (7/6).