Leprosy Mission urges international community to put focus back on MDGs

The Leprosy Mission has hit out at developed nations for failing to make clear how they plan to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

The goals aimed at halving extreme global poverty were agreed by all 192 member states of the United Nations back in 2000. NGOs warn that with only five years to go until the target date for completion, many of the goals, which include eradicating hunger and achieving universal primary education, at risk of being unmet.

The Leprosy Mission criticised G8 and G20 members after the MDGs were left off the agenda of last week’s high profile meetings in Canada, which focused on national debt and budget deficits.

The group said that “opportunities have been missed” at the G8 and G20 meetings. It expressed disappointment that Prime Minister David Cameron had spoken in Canada of his desire to see the MDGs delivered on time but then did little to see that discussions on the issue were included on the summit agenda.

The Leprosy Mission said the apparent “avoidance” of the MDG issue had reinforced its concerns that not enough is being done to reach the goals.

It has signed up to the joint statement produced by the BOND coalition of UK-based NGOs which states that “much more needs to be done as the MDGs are off track in many regions and many governments are ignoring their pledges”. The statement calls on Cameron to take the lead in forming an MDG rescue plan.

The statement has been put together ahead of a major UN summit to assess progress on the MDGs taking place in New York in September.

Sian Arulanantham, the Leprosy Mission’s Head of Programmes Co-ordination, spoke of her particular concern for leprosy sufferers during a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Malaria and Tropical Diseases at the House of Commons on Tuesday.

“Time is fast approaching for Governments to respond to the UN request for contributions to the outcomes document for the MDG summit,” she said.

“It is essential that the UK Government acts now to ensure that disabled people and 1 billion people affected by neglected tropical diseases, including those affected by leprosy, are included.”