The Millennium Declaration, adopted by all 189 United Nations Member States
in 2000, promised a better world with less poverty, hunger and disease; a world
in which mothers and children have a greater chance of surviving and of receiving
an education, and where women and girls have the same opportunities as men
and boys. It promised a healthier environment and greater cooperation—a world in
which developed and developing countries work in partnership for the betterment
of all. The declaration established eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and
time-bound targets by which progress can be measured.