Background: The poor health status of people globally is a reminder of the social gradient of health that exists within countries and between countries. Together, the structural determinants and conditions of daily life constitute the social determinants of health (SDH), and result in much of the health inequity between and within countries. In an attempt to address the SDH, and challenge the world to tackle poverty and gender inequalities in the world's poorest countries, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were created. Goal three of the global Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aims at empowering women through policies and programs that builds women's capabilities, improves their access to economic and political opportunity, and guarantees their safety. Yet, further research is needed to understand how exactly education empowers women and translates into "better lives" for women. Purpose: The overall goal is to examine how women navigate, negotiate, and mediate their sexual and reproductive health in the complex university environment. Methods: The study was cross-sectional in design and employed mixed methodology. It consisted of key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and self-administered questionnaires. Results: The case study of Ethiopia provides important lessons learned and an understanding of how to effectively implement strategies to address MDG3. Results of this study suggest that interventions should enhance women's power to make decisions and their ability to access resources. The power dynamics that continue to keep women down must be addressed to allow them the opportunity to rise to the level of their male peers.

Magister Bibliothecologiae - MBibl / The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is a tool through which the present government in South Africa wants to implement transformation in regard with raising the standard of living of the people in all spheres of life. Libraries are often seen as important agencies for information dissemination and other services. Public libraries have a vital role to play in the achievement of the MDGs. Stakeholders all over the spectrum need to collaborate with libraries to achieve these goals by 2015. The study investigated the role of the public library in realising some of the MDGs by means of a case study of Groenheuwel Public Library. The aim of this case study was to determine how this public library contributes to the development of Groenheuwel. Empirical research techniques were used to determine whether public libraries contribute to the well-being of the community of Groenheuwel and to the achievement of certain targets for the Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) provide a framework for libraries and information services to develop and align their strategies and access their contribution towards their countries (Kaniki, 2008:16). The methodology applied was a quantitative questionnaire which included open-ended questions, which explored the role of the public library in the respondents' lives. The study made use of random sampling; the population of the study was adult library users. Every third library user was asked to complete a questionnaire over a period of two weeks. The data collected, informed the researcher what the purpose of the adult users' visit to the library was and whether the library addresses MDGs directly or indirectly. The findings should provide empirical evidence of the impact of public libraries, with reference to Groenheuwel public library, in addressing some of the Millennium Development Goals. The researcher hopes that this study will convince local government and decision makers to expand the library to a bigger library, to render an effective and efficient library service with added staff members and that the community find the library valuable and vital for their information needs.

This dissertation examines the effect of fiscal decentralization on poverty reduction and explores potential transmission channels through pro-poor sectoral outcomes such as basic education, basic healthcare and agricultural productivity. We first develop a theoretical model to explain the interaction between decentralization and poverty reduction outcomes. In particular, we show that the marginal effect of fiscal decentralization on pro-poor sectors depends largely on the outcome of the trade-off between potential benefits derived from better matching of local preference due to local proximity, and the lack of technical capacity at the local level. This finding provides, in a way, a theoretical explanation of the different outcomes observed in fiscal decentralization programs around the world. This inconclusive theoretical result motivates an empirical analysis to assess whether there is any statistical significant relationship between fiscal decentralization and poverty. We implement this estimation using the Generalized Method of Moment Instrumental Variable (GMM-IV) methodology on 97 countries spanned over the period 1975-2000. Our estimation results reveal a statistically significant, but non-linear relationship between fiscal decentralization and poverty. In addition, we empirically explore potential transmission mechanism of the effect of fiscal decentralization on poverty through three sectors (basic education, basic healthcare and agricultural extension) that have been shown in the literature on basic needs and also by development practitioners to have significant bearing on the well-being of the poor. Finally, given the relatively high level of poverty in addition to the fact that most African countries are far behind in attaining their Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets, we investigate whether the effect of fiscal decentralization on poverty will be greater in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) relative to other regions.

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As the timeframe of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is running out this year, the Post-2015 Development Agenda soon arrive at its final negotiations. Criticisms of the MDGs have primarily concerned the inaccurate implementation of social justice to the most vulnerable and poor, and the limited understanding of the underlying interconnectedness of the goals. In several recent reports, it has been stated that the various aspects of social justice and inclusiveness shall permeate the new development agenda. I have therefore made it my task to conduct a content analysis of three key reports, providing the most likely basis for the new agenda. With this, my aim is to examine what different concepts of social justice is being expressed, whom the agenda foremost seems to favour in terms of ‘winners’ and ‘losers’, and what possible implications this could have for global development work. My analytical framework is constructed from three concepts of social justice: distributive, retributive and transformative justice. Ideal types of these three concepts have been constructed as the analytical instrument of the study, in order to simplify the content analysis.      In the study, it is concluded that it is likely that the new development agenda will aim for distributive justice, although the road to get there leads through major transformational shifts. The structural and societal causes (transformative injustice) of inequalities, poverty and unsustainability are targeted to finally achieve universal equality (distributive justice). The most marginalized, vulnerable and poor can thus been classified as the utmost winners of the suggested new agenda. Moreover, vague expressions of retributive justice were found regarding foremost climate justice. The possible implications of this could prove to be a more welcoming attitude towards the agenda negotiations, albeit on the cost of decreased accountability.

The contemporary global system is characterised by the presence of a multitude of International Organisations (IOs) whose relevance is sustained by the roles they play. Among these IOs, the United Nations (UN) is of paramount importance as a result of its universal membership and extensive mandate. Its international role is influenced by its evolving structures, practices and goals. Among its most recent objectives are the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which address the challenge of holistic human development at the global level. This study aims to assess the UN’s role in pursuing the MDGs as they relate to the development of children in West Africa. The first two of the eight goals have been selected for the purpose of focusing the research, namely the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, and the elimination of illiteracy by achieving universal primary education. Children, who bear the brunt of global underdevelopment and whose development is a key element in breaking cycles of poverty, are the focus of the study. The general and historical role played by the UN in advancing child development is therefore assessed with regards to the issue-fields indicated by the two selected MDGs. Specific application is then done in the case of West Africa, chosen as case study because the region is the poorest in the world and arguably indicative of most urgent MDG focus. Clive Archer’s analytical outline, which depicts IOs variously as instruments, arenas and actors, is used as a conceptual framework. Archer contends that IOs can be utilised as instruments by other global actors, serve as arenas for dialogue and cooperation among such actors and also assume proactive, independent identities as actors in pursuit of specific objectives. The study concludes that Archer’s framework is relevant, but that the existence of all three roles in the same functional space has notable and often contradictory implications. While the UN generally plays its roles as actor and arena in achieving its first two MDGs among West African children with relative ease, its role as instrument is dependent on the agendas and political will of other actors in the global system. Notwithstanding the weakness of its role as instrument, however, the UN’s triad of roles towards the development of children, and specifically children in West Africa, is a key element of the organisation’s global relevance. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Political Sciences / unrestricted

No / Though Bangladesh has made tremendous strides forward in health and other socio-economic indicators in the recent past, basic needs of health still remain largely unmet and only less than half of the population has access to basic healthcare. The health spending is far below the optimum level which is needed to scale up essential health intervention. Bangladesh is also experiencing a critical and chronic shortage and imbalance of skill mix and deployment of health workforce. The important achievements in health indicators include life expectancy, infant mortality, and vaccinations. However, overall burden of mortality and morbidity in most of the key health indicators is higher compared to other regional countries. Despite remarkable progress, except child mortality, targets are not expected to be met by 2015 if the prevailing trends persist in several areas. Major reforms are needed in health and medical education to ensure quality healthcare for the population of Bangladesh.

The study aimed to examine the contributions of two corporate, non-health, transnational, Sustainable Healthy Workplaces (SHWs) to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) in Nigeria. The research questions in this study sought to determine the contributions made by SHWs to combating malaria and ‘other diseases’ and ensuring gender equality in health at work, thus ascertaining the contributions of the studied organisations to the MDGs 3 and 6 in Nigeria. A qualitative, eclectic case study of two SHWs was carried out. Data were sourced through documentary analysis and the use of semi-structured interviews, with 22 and 13 purposive sampled participants at organisations ‘A’ and ‘B’ respectively. Also, descriptive and thematic data analyses were utilised for numerical and textual data respectively, and these analyses were then compared and interpreted. The results showed that both organisations contributed to the achievement of the two MDGs studied with policies and practices that were available but inadequate. Both implemented relevant and gender-specific policies but conducted inadequate workplace health promotion programmes (WHPPs). Organisation ‘B’ had basic structural facilities to promote healthy lifestyle choices, which were missing at organisation ‘A’. Given this, there was no record of significant levels of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at organisation ‘B’, unlike organisation ‘A’ with its remarkable record. A decline in reported cases of malaria (a communicable disease - CD) occurred throughout the study period at organisation ‘A’, with the highest recorded in 2012 (25.4%) and the lowest in 2014 (21.8%). No pattern was observed at organisation ‘B’ but the highest incidence of this disease was recorded in 2014 (75.6%) and the lowest in 2013 (30.7%). At organisation ‘A’, there was a steady rise in sickness absences among male employees, contrary to the documented decline among that of female employees. No consistent pattern was observed regarding sickness absence for gender categories at organisation ‘B’. Deaths were recorded at organisation ‘A’ during the study period, except in 2014 when there were none. Organisation ‘B’ had no recorded mortality throughout the entire study period. The findings from the literature review, using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) and Clearinghouse for Labour Evaluation and Research (CLEAR) checklists for quality assessment of the selected articles, showed that any effort aimed at preventing and combating diseases while ensuring gender equality in health among the workforce had a positive impact on stakeholders. This led to the most important element of the social and economic development agenda, including the MDGs, being addressed. Additionally, findings from organisations ‘A’ and ‘B’ revealed positive, but inadequate, and varied contributions to the attainment of the MDGs, with better performance recorded at organisation ‘B’. This implied the need for these organisations to have done more in order to make a better contribution to the MDGs. The MDGs had 2015 as their target date, but they have now been replaced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hence, the lesson learnt from MDGs can be transferred to the implementation of the current SDGs, which are termed the ‘Global Goals’.

Five years from the end of the 15-year span of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) it is already plain that progress has been patchy and that the larger goals will not be met. The scale and profile of the MDGs will make them subject to eventual success or failure judgments and 'lessons learned' analyses, but the evidence of the past decade and current trajectories are sufficient to reveal our conceptual and operational shortcomings and the kinds of reorientation needed to ensure that the last five years of the MDGs will exhibit positive momentum rather than winding-down inertia. Such reorientations would include prioritising actors over systems; disaggregated targets over global benchmarks; qualitative aspects of complex forms of human relatedness over technical 'solutions'; and the painstaking work of developing country enablement over quick outcome indicators, not least for the purpose of sustainability. Thinking and planning beyond 2015 must be made integral to the last five years of the MDGs, for normative as well as practical reasons.

<p>This thesis aim to describe and analyze different organisations’ work with reducing child labour. In order to understand the complex matter of child labour, a case study concerning children’s situation within the mining industry in Peru has been made. The first part of the thesis has been designed to be an introduction to the matter, with a description of the mining industry in Peru and the situation of child labour. The two following parts are more analytic in character. The second and third part discusses how the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) can be used as an instrument of reducing child labour. Further, top down and bottom up-theories will be discussed as different approaches and working methods for organisations.</p><p>In addition to find the answers to our questions, interviews have been conducted with employees of the organisations (ILO, UNICEF and Save the Children), articles and literature have been analyzed and finally Internet have contributed with information about child labour, Peru, the organisations, theories and the MDGs.</p><p>This study claims that child labour is a complex matter and one possible solution to reduce it can be through promoting education. This can only be viable if organisations work together with governments, using a combination of top down and bottom up approaches.</p>