CIAO DATE: 06/2013
May 2013
Center for Strategic and International Studies
The United Nations had endorsed goals before, focused primarily on individual issues or specific populations such as women and children, but the MDGs represented a more comprehensive approach that included systematic efforts to monitor, implement, and finance them. Unlike some efforts in the past, they also were succinct and relatively easy to understand. As a result, while attention to previous UN goals tended to sputter and fade, to the surprise and delight of those involved in international development, the MDGs became perceived as a visible and effective tool for rallying resources for and attention to important development issues. They also spurred better measurement of disease burden, social progress, and aid effectiveness.
Resource link: Do UN Global Development Goals Matter to the United States? [PDF]