WHAT ARE THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS? The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that respond to the world's main development challenges. The MDGs are drawn from the actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by 189 nations-and signed by 147 heads of state and governments during the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000.Read more on these goals.

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17 October 2008,This year's International Day for Eradication of Poverty IDEP will be celebrated in Garissa District which is one of the 9 millennium districts in Kenya.The other Millennium districts include; Siaya, Bondo, Muranga, Meru South, Turkana, Kilifi, Suba and Bungoma.The Minister for National Development and Vision 2030 is expected to officiate.UNDP has several projects in Garissa District which is the semi arid Northern Eastern Province.The projects include; Secondary school next to the Daadab Refugee camp, Hagar Bul water pans and Welmerer water borehole.Read Report

1-5 August 2008, The Ministry of National Planning and Vision 2030 trained journalists on Economic Policies in Kenya. This cadre of journalists will be fully devoted to the promotion of economic policies and development journalism in the country.Policy documents discussed include the Kenya Vision 2030, National Intergrated Monitoring and Evaluation System Network NIMES,Private Sector Development Strategy PSDS. More on the website

10 July 2008, Ms Tomoko Nishimoto,UNDP Country Director together with the Hon. Oparanya,Minister for Planning and Vision 2030 launched the Kisumu Investment Promotion Day so as to encourage investors to Kisumu.The Kisumu Millennium City was severely affected following the post election violence after disputed results of General election December 2007. At the launch, the participants recieved a copy of the Kisumu Investment Guide.

MDG AFRICANISED ICONS	STATUS SUMMARY TOWARDS MEETING THE SET MDG GOAL IN KENYA
	Recently, the Government elaborated a new development blueprint, the Vision 2030 that aims at making Kenya a newly industrializing, middle income country providing high quality of life for its citizens by the year 2030, through its Economic Social and Political Pillars. The country has witnessed a decline in poverty from 56% in 2000 to 45.9% in 2006, attributable to improved governance and management of public resources and implementation of key reforms in various sectors of the economy. Poverty levels are still high (the country witnessed a 17% point decline in poverty) and a lot of resources are required for basic social services against the capital expenditure. The problem of poverty has been coupled by high inequalities with the gini coefficient of around 0.45.
	In 2002, when the National Rainbow Coalition NARC took over power from the 24 year rule of Kenya African National Union KANU, free primary education was introduced by H.E President Mwai Kibaki. The National Gross Enrolment in Primary School rose from 93% in 2002 to 107.7% in 2007 while the Net Enrolment Rate for 2006 was 86.5% attributed to the introduction of free primary education.
	Policy and institutional arrangements have been strengthened in the gender sector to promote women participation in development, including the establishment of the ministry and commission in charge of gender issues. Affirmative action has also been introduced in the recruitment and promotions of personnel in the public sector.
	On the health front, the government has increased the coverage on immunization to over 80% and facilities have improved in public health centers and drugs accessibility. The successful implementation of the MDG-based Economic Recovery Strategy has seen immunization coverage rise to 72% in 2007. About 68% of under-five children years are also receiving bed nets to protect them against mosquitoes that facilitate the spread of Malaria..
	The 'ring-fencing' policy on the budget expenditure on health projects has helped improve maternal health. Ring fencing is the case where-by the agreed allocations to a particular sector is never reduced no matter what happened to the revenue. While other sectors may experience cuts in budgets, the 'ring-fencing' protects the Health, Education and Poverty sectors from such cuts. The proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel (as a proxy indicator for Maternal Mortality Rate MMR) increased from 42% in 2003 to 56% by 2007.
	HIV/AIDS prevalence data suggests that the females are most hit with a prevalence of 6.7% compared to 3.5% among males. The estimates further show that prevalence is higher in the urban areas (8.3%) than in the rural areas (4.0%). Results from the Investment Programme of the ERS HIV indicator reveal that the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate was 6.3 % in 2007 among expectant women in the 15-24 year age group attending any Ante Natal Clinic.
	In the area of Environment, there are about 39.3 million hectares of forests constituting 69 % of total country land of which; 37.6 million hectares is ungazetted natural woody vegetation and 1.7 million hectares is gazetted forest. Between 2005 and 2007, Kenya Forestry Research Institute has increased seed production by 25 percent. 1.2 million hectares of gazetted natural forest, 2.1% of total country land area. A further 19,000 hectares of natural forest is currently being processed to be gazetted and protected.
	Developing partnerships with civil society, private sector, and various development partners can contribute to the successes especially in MDG localization. On 12 March 2008, the Ministry of Planning and Vision 2030 launched the Civil Society Organizations facility to collaborate in implementing strategies that are geared towards better quality of life for citizens. CSOs play a unique role among the stakeholders in development since they represent important segments of the population.The government is working with CSOs to ensure the realization of MDGs at community level. The government is aware that CSOs have the capacity to contribute to national and community levels with initiatives that can turn around the economy to achieve the MDGs.