Millennium Development Goals
Botswana’s Millennium Development Goals Situation
Signing onto the Millennium Declaration of 2000 and subsequently embracing the eight goals that are now referred to as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was a sovereign act for Botswana. The country willingly subscribed to the logic of the MDGs because of the recognition that poverty is an emergency that that all countries of the world should do all within their power to overcome in order to improve on the wellbeing of their citizenry.
Botswana committed herself to the MDGs because the country recognizes that to make meaningful and lasting progress against poverty, quantum gains are required in education, health, sustainable use of environmental resources with which it is renowned, investment, technology and equitable South-South cooperation to promote flows of trade.
For Botswana, the MDGs are a concept that resonates so well with the country’s development ideals as espoused in the National Vision – “Towards Prosperity for All” commonly referred as Vision 2016. This is a development ideal which pre-dates the MDGs by some two years.
In 2004 Botswana, with cooperation with UNDP and the entire UN family in the country, launched her first Millennium Development Goals status report. The report was the result of extensive cooperation between the government, civil society organizations, UN family and other stakeholders.
By itself, the report accords the people of Botswana the opportunity to dialogue on the development path of their country and to take the world into their confidence so that through their own ideas as articulated in Vision 2016 and national development plans and those of their partners may refine their strategies for the future.
Overall analysis of the MDGs generally leaves a positive picture of Botswana because of the prudent manner in which the government and people of Botswana have harnessed the country’s resources.
Despite all this, both government and people of this southern African country recognize that their nation is presently facing a monster of unprecedented proportions in the form of HIV/AIDS, which, if no major steps are taken immediately, threatens to wipe out many of the development efforts and achievements since independence in 1966. Going by current trends achieving all the MDGs, or ensuring that progress in vital areas is not eroded will prove a very serious challenge to Botswana.
Status on the MDGs
Goals |
Targets |
Will goal be met by 2015? |
Supportive environment for achieving goal |
1
Eradicate Poverty and Hunger |
1. No person living below the Income Poverty Datum Line by 2016
2. Reduce by 50% the proportion of people who suffer from hunger and malnutrition by 2016 |
Unlikely
Likely |
Strong
Strong |
2
Achieve Universal Primary Education |
3. To achieve universal access to 10 years of basic education by 2016
4. To improve the relevance and quality of basic education by 2016 |
Achieved
Likely |
Strong
Strong |
3
Gender Equality and Empowerment |
5. To reduce gender disparity in all education by 2015
6. To reduce gender disparity in access to and control productive resources by 2015
7. To reduce violence and discrimination against women, and the incidence of rape by 50% by 2011
8. To increase the participation of women in leadership, governance and decision-making by at least 60% by 2016 |
Achieved
Likely
Potentially
Likely
|
Strong
Strong
Strong
Strong
|
4
Child Mortality |
1. To reduce the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) from 48/1000 live births in 1991 to 27/1000 in 2011
2. To reduce by 2/3, the under 5 mortality rate (U5MR) from 63/1000 live births in 1991 by 2011
3. To reduce the PEM rate amongst children from 18% in 1990 to 8% by 2011
4. To increase the proportion of I year old children who are fully immunized from 67% in 1990 to at least 80% by 2009 |
Potentially
Potentially
Potentially
Likely |
Strong
Strong
Strong
Strong |
5
Maternal Health |
13. To reduce maternal mortality rate from 326/100 000 live births in 1991 to 150/100 000 by 2011 |
Potentially |
Strong |
6
Combat HIV/AIDS and Other Diseases |
14. To halt and reverse the incidence of HIV, particularly amongst the youth by 2016
15. To reduce the number of infants born to HIV infected mother who are HIV positive by their 18th month by half by 2006 and to zero by 2009
16. To reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by TB
17. To reduce the incidence of confirmed cases of malaria to below 20 per 1000 people |
Likely
Potentially
Likely
Potentially |
Strong
Strong
Strong
Strong |
7
The Environment |
18. To reduce by 50% the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water by 2016
19. Reduce conflict between population growth , land usage and environmental and natural resources degradation
20. Promote environmental education and awareness necessary to reduce contamination and achieve sustainable development |
Likely
Potentially
Potentially |
Strong
Good
Good |
8
Global Partnerships |
21. Develop further, an environment conducive for beneficial trade and foreign direct investment
22. In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies |
Likely
Likely |
Strong
Strong |
Millennium Development Goals and Vision 2016
Botswana’s development process is guided by six yearly National Development Plans (NDPs). Since 1997 all NDPs have been guided by the country’s long-term vision; “Towards Prosperity For All”.
This vision, popularly known as Vision 2016, articulates Botswana’s long-tern development aspirations and provides a broad framework for development. As shown in the table below the aspirations of Vision 2016 and the MDGs are complementary and therefore none needs to be promoted at the detriment of the other.
VISION 2016 PILLARS |
MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS |
1.
An educated and informed nation |
MDG 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
With a primary school enrolment rate of 106%, Botswana has achieved this goal. Vision 2016 thus sets higher priorities in the dimension of quality, relevance and access (10 years of basic education). |
2.
A prosperous, productive and innovative nation |
MDG 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
MDG 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability
The key elements of this Vision pillar are sustainable growth and diversification. |
3.
A compassionate, just and caring nation |
MDG 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
MDG 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases
This vision pillar’s main priorities are poverty, inequality and social safety nets; and health and HIV/AIDS. |
4.
A safe and secure nation |
MDG 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
MDG 3: Promote Gender Equality & Empower Women
This pillar addresses some broader issues of human security, e.g. disaster preparedness, to deal with, amongst others, drought, animal diseases and floods, national defence; and crime, (including violence against women and children). |
5.
An open, democratic and accountable nation |
MDG 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
The fifth pillar focuses on leadership, which is the main prerequisite for international development cooperation, especially FDI, and to a lesser extent aid and trade. |
6.
A moral and tolerant nation |
MDG 3: Promote Gender Equality & Empower Women
The key elements of this pillar are values – morality and tolerance. Under tolerance, the Vision gives priority to the elimination of discrimination against women, children, the aged and the disabled and speaks against sexual harassment. |
7.
A proud and United Nation |
MDG 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
Promotes nationhood based on shared values and shared aspirations. An important element of this Vision pillar, which is also essential to MDG 8, is good governance and participation. |
More information on global MDGs
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Botswana