The eight Millennium Development Goals lie at the heart of DFID’s work.

Introduction to the Millennium Development Goals

The eight Millennium Development Goals lie at the heart of DFID's work.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight specific goals to be met by 2015 that aim to combat extreme poverty across the world.

These goals were created at the UN Millennium Summit in New York in 2000. The largest gathering of world leaders in history.

The Millennium Declaration, adopted by the world leaders, promised to: "free all men, women, and children from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty."

The MDGs are drawn from the Millennium Declaration.

The declaration was adopted by 189 nations and signed by 147 heads of state. Find out more about the MDGs and follow progress:

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Achieve universal primary education

Promote gender equality and empower women

Reduce child mortality

Improve maternal health

Combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Ensure environmental sustainability

Develop a global partnership for development