Nursing: Milleniun Development Goals (Essay Sample)

Millennium Development Goals Name: Institution: Yoruba Culture Introduction The Millennium Development Goals were a brainchild of the Millennium Summit, hosted by the United Nations, in 2000. The conference focused on eight goals for international development (Wilkinson & Hulme, 2012). A total of 189 member nations, at the time, came together to discuss ways and means of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs include eradicating hunger and extreme poverty, a universal achievement of primary education, the realization of women empowerment and gender equality, and reduction of child mortality. The improvement of maternal health; combating malaria; HIV/AIDS and other diseases; enhancing environmental sustainability; and the establishment of an international development partnership are also part of the MDGs (Nwonwu & Africa Institute of South Africa, 2008). Each goal had a specific timeline and targets aimed at achieving the objective. According to the G8, the finances for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) would come from the International financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund,(IMF) in an attempt to accelerate the process (World Bank & International Monetary Fund, 2005). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) are similar to the MDGs in that; they call for the global action to ending poverty, peace, and the protection of the planet from (Sachs, 2015). Peace and justice, economic inequality, climate change, sustainable consumption, and innovation are just a few of the SDGs (Pisupati & Warner, 2003). Unlike the MDGs, the SDGs are a mere suggestion without a proper budget or schedule of how to achieve the prospects. Healthy People 2020 is a facet of the MDGs constituted by the United States government to combat health issues and diseases (Institute of Medicine, 2011). The program focuses on the prevention of illness through scientific experiments as well as health promotion initiatives (Edelstein, 2006). Healthy People 2020 aims at achieving a healthy population by the end of the year 2020. Discussion The Yoruba culture of Nigeria is one among the communities of the world, working towards the achievement of the MDGs (Falola & Paddock, 2011). HIV/AIDS is a matter that threatened the lives and livelihoods of many Yoruba people. In the past, Nigeria stood among the highest ranking countries, in the world, in HIV/AIDS prevalence (Ajayi, 2003). Many Yoruba artists have come out to fight the pandemic by using music, dramatization, and choral verses to educate the community on how to build and safer and healthy society (Falola & Agwuele, 2009). The artists also use art to reveal and discuss the sociocultural and economic effects of the spread of the disease. The community’s use of the ‘alternative’ medicine in the fight against HIV/AIDS reveals a new way to solving the health issue, especially in Africa. As a result of the artistic combat, more Yoruba people know about HIV/AIDS, a move that has significantly reduced the prevalence of the disease. Secondly, many women in Yoruba suffered from violence and discrimination. The Yoruba culture demeaned women and used them as objects of male satisfaction. In a bid to achieve gender equality, the Yoruba culture invested in women empowerment and education, through the provision of training, to aid the women in developing lasting survival skills (Abama & Kwaja, 2009). As a result, many Yoruba women are self-employed in pottery, basketry, activities that have enabled the Yoruba women to gain status. Also, numerous non-governmental organizations help support the women through group funds. There are also shelters for women who flee from their abusive husbands or homes (Bloomfield, et al. 2003). Most cultures in Africa place little value on educating the girl child (Lawal, Sadiku & Dopamu, 2004). Retrogressive discriminatory beliefs coupled with early marriages pose the greatest threat to education in Yoruba (Olajubu, 2003). The Yoruba culture, through the help of the Nigerian government, advocates for the schooling of the girl child, with the aim of achieving a level ground for both the males and females (Matthews, 2002). Early marriages are now a thing of the past, in the Yoruba community. Conclusion No country can realize all the MDGs at once. It takes proper dedication and commitment to tackle the problems one by one. According to the discussion, it is clear that the Yoruba people are many steps closer to realizing the goals. It is the role of each state to ensure that they commit towards the realization of the NDGs. After all, the survival and prosperity of humanity rely on the MDGs. However, the community should focus more on the environment, as well as the reduction of infant mortality. References Abama, E. & Kwaja, C. (2009). Violence Against Women in Nigeria: How the Millennium Development Goals Addresses the Challenge. The Journ...