Falling behind on the targets

Women in Zambia learn new design skills with textiles [Gideon Mendel]

Key findings from The cost of Meeting the Millennium Development Goals in Zambia, which uncovers some alarming deficiencies

The report was commissioned by the Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR), Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) and the Catholic Centre for Justice, Development, and Peace (CCJDP).

It covers approximately 1.5 million households in rural areas and 700,000 households in urban areas.

Report statistics:

Safe Water:

Access to safe drinking water has slightly increased from 48 per cent in 1992 to 51 per cent in 2002. However, 17 per cent of households had access to improved sanitation in 1990, but this declined to 15 per cent in 2000.

In rural areas the situation is worse with only two per cent of households in 2002 having proper toilet facilities.

Food/Hunger:

Around 19 per cent of Zambian households (300,000 households) face chronic food insecurity, with 24 per cent (74,000 households) in rural areas.

To meet the MDG on hunger, it is estimated that Zambia will need to spend US$150 million per year.

Primary school education:

Fr Peter Henriot SJ, Director of the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection in Lusaka, Zambia [CAFOD]

Universal primary education is one of the Millennium Development Goals that may well be achieved, as 76 per cent of children were enrolled into primary education in 2003.

But this still leaves 500,000 children aged 7-15 without an education. The report notes that although enrolment for girls is high, the number completing school is lower for girls.

HIV and AIDS

It is estimated that 15.6 per cent of the population of Zambia is HIV positive and ten per cent of those are eligible to receive anti-retroviral treatments (ART).

Up to 176,000 HIV patients are currently in need of ART, and this figure will rise to 238,000 by 2015. The cost of voluntary counselling and testing of patients is US$3.64.

JCTR director Peter Henriot says: “To achieve the Millennium Development Goals in Zambia by 2015 would mean tremendous improvements to the lives of all our ten million citizens.

"Today 70-80% of the population live below the poverty line, unable to met basic daily needs, life expectancy is under forty years, infant and maternal mortality are high and our health and education systems are sadly lacking in the basics.”

take action

Advent Appeal 2008 CAFOD Advent Appeal: Please send a message of support to kids this Advent at a special school run by a CAFOD partner

Shine a light in the darkness Please sign our petition calling on the world's largest mining company to listen to communities in the Philippines worried about the effect mining will have on their land - plus send a personal message of solidarity to the people of Macambol

Buy a World Gift Browse our new range of alternative gifts that act as two presents in one – something for you to give to friends or a relative, while the real gift changes the life of someone living in poverty