Millennium Development Goals

The goal of Decent Work for All and the pledges in the Millennium Declaration go hand in hand. The ILO’s Decent Work Agenda, in a context of fair globalization, is essential to the achievement of these shared aims.

The information folder linked below includes one brief for each of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Each brief contains links to further information about how decent and productive employment, social protection, rights at work and dialogue contribute to the achievement of the MDGs.

In addition, an extract is included from the Key Indicators of the Labour Market (ILO, 2008) on the new target under MDG 1: "to make the goals of full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people, a central objective of our relevant national and international policies and our national development strategies".

Information Folder

• Overview - (pdf 92kB)
• Reference materials - (pdf 165kB)
• MDG 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger - (pdf 109kB)
• MDG 1: New target - "to make the goals of full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people, a central objective of our relevant national and international policies and our national development strategies" - (pdf 124kB)
• MDG 2. Achieve universal primary education - (pdf 119kB)
• MDG 3. Promote gender equality and empower women - (pdf 119kB)
• MDG 4. Reduce child mortality - (pdf 100kB)
• MDG 5. Improve maternal health - (pdf 105kB)
• MDG 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases - (pdf 117kB)
• MDG 7. Ensure environmental sustainability - (pdf 143kB)
• MDG 8. Develop a global partnership for development - (pdf 139kB)

Further information

• How do Poverty Reduction Strategies and the MDGs link?
  From Decent Work and Poverty Reduction Strategies: A reference manual for ILO staff and constituents

• The Role of Employment in Promoting the Millennium Development Goals.
  Joint ILO-UNDP Programme on Promoting Employment for Poverty Reduction, 2005