Introduction

In 2000, world leaders set themselves the ambitious tasks of, among others, drastically reducing hunger, putting every child through prirmary school, slashing child mortality and halting and reversing the spread of killer diseases such as malaria, TB and HIV/Aids - all by 2015. This supplement aims to show just how far we have come at the halfway point in meeting the eight UN millennium development goals set out below.

(1) Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

(2) Achieve universal primary education

(3) Promote gender equality and empower women

(4) Reduce child mortality

(5) Improve maternal health

(6) Combat HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases

(7) Ensure environmental sustainability

(8) Develop a global partnership for development