The date 7/7/7 had a resonance in more ways than one. It also marked the mid-point of an unusual global exercise. The nations of the world set eight ‘Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)’ for themselves in the year 2000 and gave themselves 15 years to achieve them. By 2015, they promised to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development.

You could call this the ultimate do-gooders’ list conceived by the faceless grey suits of the United Nations. Bunker Roy, founder of the Barefoot College, in his well-known critique of MDGs, commented acerbically in an article that appeared in The International Herald Tribune some years ago: “The virtual reality in which the authors (of the MGDs) live, full of action plans, road maps and fact sheets, is frightening...The model encourages colossal falsification of figures, the excessive hiring of private consultants, conflicts of interest and a massive patronage system.”

One needs to keep in mind Bunker Roy’s repudiation of the “factsheets approach” when one revisits these goals. Human development is far too complex to be addressed by targets, the piety of “making poverty history” too much of a fantasy to sound credible. Social Watch estimates that it could take South Asia another 47 years to achieve these targets. Nevertheless, it may be useful to revisit the list, if only to highlight the areas of concern that pop up in that large space between pledges and performance.

... contd.