The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Performance and the Way Forward

During the last three decades, South and Southeast Asian countries have experienced remarkable improvement in many economic and human development indicators. This chapter investigates the achievements of South and Southeast Asian countries in meeting Millennium Development Goals during the period 2000 to 2015 and the trajectory towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. All countries drastically reduced the population proportion below $1 a day between 1990 and 2022, and Southeast Asian nations are ahead of South Asia. Southeast Asian nations are also leading in achieving universal primary education and promoting gender equality. All countries under consideration have made significant progress in reducing child mortality, with Bangladesh, Nepal, India, China, and Thailand recording a greater than 75 per cent reduction in child mortality from 1990 to 2022. Outstanding performance in reducing maternal mortality rates was observed in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The region also demonstrated remarkable achievement in reducing the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by half, reversing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and slowing the spread of tuberculosis. However, the Asia-Pacific region, the world’s most populous region, still faces many challenges concerning economic development and human well-being.