Millennium Development Goal 2: Universal Primary Education

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Together

In 2000 at the United Nations Millennium Summit, the United States joined 189 world governments in the commitment to
achieve the MDGs, a set of 8 goals aimed at improving the lives of the world’s poorest by 2015.

The target of MDG 2: Achieving Universal Primary Education is to guarantee that children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will
be able to attend and complete a full course of primary schooling by 2015. Presently, over 100 million children in the world
are not enrolled in primary school – 58 million of them are girls.1 In order to implement universal primary education, it would
cost $10 billion a year – half of what Americans spend annually on ice cream.2 The US government has significantly
contributed to achieving Goal 2 by doubling funding for basic education between 2000 and 2005; however, in order to meet
the global commitment for all children to be enrolled in school, the US must ensure that resources are concentrated in
countries with the greatest need.

In 2009, the US government reaffirmed that the MDGs are “America’s goals.” From 2001 to 2006, seven government agencies,
including the United States Agency for International Development and the Department of State, funded and managed basic
education projects in over seventy countries around the world. To reach the global commitment to get all children in school,
however, the US must ensure that resources are concentrated in countries with the greatest need.3

Where Success Has Been Achieved

In Africa, Ethiopia and the United Republic of Tanzania are making remarkable progress in increasing enrolment in primary
education: Ethiopia has registered one of the fastest net enrolment ratio (NER) increases in sub-Saharan Africa (38.5% to
72.3%), cutting the number of out-of-school children by over 3 million from 2000 to 2007. Tanzania also almost doubled its
NER between 1999 (50%) and 2006 (98%), decreasing the number of out-of-school children of primary school age
dramatically, from over 3 million to under 150,000. Other African countries, such as Benin, Madagascar and Zambia, have also
registered strong gains over the past decade with a similar mix of policies, investments and partnerships. Among the Arab
States, Djibouti, Mauritania, Morocco and Yemen have also had excellent results.

What Can You Do?

You and your community play a vital role in the fight against poverty and hunger. Action can be taken to raise awareness of
the MDGs and press the US government to fulfill its commitment to end poverty by 2015. For example, send letters to your
local, regional and/or national representative expressing concern regarding the US’ progress in achieving the MDGs. In
addition, you can join the global movement of over 173 million people who refuse to stay seated or silent in the face of
poverty by participating in STAND UP, TAKE ACTION: Make a Noise for the MDGs taking place from Friday, September 17 –
Sunday, September 19, 2010. Past events include rallies highlighting poverty and social injustices and concert performances.
For more information on how you can participate in Stand Up, please visit www.standagainstpoverty.org.

1
State of the World’s Mothers 2005: The Power and Promise of Girls’ Education, Save the Children
2
ActionAid, www.actionaid.org
3
InterAction, The United States and the MDGS, (Washington, DC: InterAction, 2007).

The 8 Millennium Development Goals

www.standagainstpoverty.org and www.endpoverty2015.org