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Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): Did they change social reality?

Author

Listed:
  • Moldalieva, Janyl

    (UNU‐MERIT, Maastricht University)

  • Muttaqien, Arip

    (UNU‐MERIT, Maastricht University)

  • Muzyamba, Choolwe

    (UNU‐MERIT, Maastricht University)

  • Osei, Davina

    (UNU‐MERIT, Maastricht University)

  • Stoykova, Eli

    (UNU‐MERIT, Maastricht University)

  • Le Thi Quynh, Nga

    (UNU‐MERIT, Maastricht University)

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to investigate whether the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) changed social realities of people around the world or not. By answering this question, we contribute to the longstanding debate on whether social improvement in the lives of people is MDG-precipitated or it is incidental to the introduction of MDGs. We make use of interrupted time series analysis and show that although there has been improvement in social realities of people around the world between 1990 and 2013, the two dominant opposing views on the role of MDGs in this process are uncandid. Although the genesis of the improvement was in the early 1990s (before the introduction of MDGs), there is no way of stating without question that the improvement in social realities would have been sustained after 2001 in the absence of MDGs. We conclude that given the above, the question should not be "whether the MDGs have improved social realities or not". Instead, we recommend that in order to effectively assess the usefulness of the MDGs, one needs to conduct a tedious and complex task of "tracing-the-change" by following through the chain of policy changes triggered by the MDGs.

Suggested Citation

  • Moldalieva, Janyl & Muttaqien, Arip & Muzyamba, Choolwe & Osei, Davina & Stoykova, Eli & Le Thi Quynh, Nga, 2016. "Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): Did they change social reality?," MERIT Working Papers 2016-035, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2016035
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fukuda-Parr, Sakiko & Greenstein, Joshua & Stewart, David, 2013. "How Should MDG Success and Failure be Judged: Faster Progress or Achieving the Targets?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 19-30.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Millennium Development Goals; impact; social realities; Interrupted Time Series Analysis; Sub-Saharan Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • O19 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - International Linkages to Development; Role of International Organizations
    • O21 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Planning Models; Planning Policy

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