Millennium Development Goals

At the start of this millennium, world leaders unanimously committed themselves to fight poverty and hunger, gender inequality, environmental degradation, and HIV/AIDS, while improving access to education, health care and clean water, all by 2015. The wide-ranging commitments encompassed in the Millennium Declaration’s accompanying eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) came with 8 goals, 60 indicators and 21 targets to monitor progress. The MDGs spurred concerted action across the globe, leading to impressive results in many areas, such as lifting more than a billion people out of extreme poverty.

Working to reach the MDGs: Some highlights of ILO activities and impact

Want to find out more about how the ILO works with the MDGs? Take a look at this slideshow which illustrates - through words and photos - how the ILO's work has benefited women, men and their families all over the world.

Development through jobs

  1. Decent work and the MDGs

    Full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people, is one of the most effective routes out of poverty.

2030 Development Agenda

  1. 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda

    Beyond the MDGs: It’s all about jobs and livelihoods

    The ILO has called for jobs and livelihoods to be at the heart of the development agenda after the target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) passes in 2015.

How the ILO contributes to the 8 Millenium Development Goals

  1. #1.

    Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

    The ILO works towards eradicating extreme poverty and hunger in a number of ways, such as: promoting youth employment, ensuring that decent work is included in national Poverty Reduction Strategies and by tracking progress on employment in countries. Today, roughly 30% of ILO projects target the Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

  2. #2.

    Achieve universal primary education

    The ILO works towards the achievement of universal primary education by combating child labour, which has fallen by one third since 2000, globally. The ILO also supports the key people who deliver education: teachers.

  3. #3.

    Promote gender equality and empower women

    The ILO promotes gender equality and empowers women by tracking progress on women’s work outside of agriculture; offering capacity-building and guidance to constituents on equality and mainstreaming gender into all activities and development cooperation projects.

  4. #4.

    Reduce child mortality

    The ILO works towards reducing child mortality by focusing on working mothers, health care workers, combating child labour and extending social protection. The workplace is an important entry point for information, education and health services relating to children’s health.

  5. #5.

    Improve maternal health

    The ILO works to improve maternity protection and health through the workplace to prevent work from threatening the reproductive health of pregnant and nursing women and to ensure that maternity does not jeopardize their economic security.

  6. #6.

    Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

    The ILO combats HIV/AIDS by protecting workers from HIV infection and facilitating easy access to care, treatment and support, and social protection for all those living with or affected by HIV and AIDS.

  7. #7.

    Ensure environmental sustainability

    The ILO ensures environmental sustainability by promoting green jobs – jobs that reduce the consumption of energy and raw materials, limit greenhouse gas emissions, waste and pollution, and protect and restore ecosystems.

  8. #8.

    Develop a global partnership for development

    The ILO works towards the development of a global partnership by promoting policies that keep decent and productive employment, social protection, social dialogue and rights at the centre of development concerns.