Please Respond to the post below thank you. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) work together to improve the lives of individuals in need. The MDGs focus on eight target areas, from goals of reducing child mortality rates to ensuring environmental sustainability (Lomazzi et. al, 2014). Based on the prevalence of poverty and hunger in Liberia, it is important to focus on MDG 1, which is eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. As Markle et. al (2014) explains, a third of people die prematurely due to poor nutrition and caloric deficiencies. In addition, out of the estimated 11 million children that die before the age of five, three fourths of the deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia; thus, including Liberia (Markle et. al, 2014). By focusing on efforts to eradicate poverty and world hunger, in turn, mortality rates will decrease and so will diseases that thrive off of “vulnerable children with host defenses weakened by hunger” (Markle et. al, 2014). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) one and two go hand-in-hand with MDG 1. SDG 1 focuses on ending poverty in all its forms everywhere and SDG 2, aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promot
e sustainable agriculture (WHO, n.d.). By focusing on achieving these SDGs, the impact on society in Liberia can shift greatly. Duncan-Cassell (2012) explains that women in Liberia suffer disproportionately from the effects of poverty and their lack of voice maintains gender inequalities. Duncan-Cassell (2012) goes on to mention that Liberian women make up 60% of Liberia’s population and are the primary marketers and traders for food crop production and cash crop production. With this being said, SDGs 1 and 2 could be achieved by implementing food programs which also empower rural women of Liberia. For example, the National Rural Women Program was implemented by the Liberian government in 2008, which gives women the opportunity to voice needs and lead initiatives (Duncan-Cassell, 2012). More specifically Duncan-Cassell (2012) states: Overall, it is believed that increasing the women’s participation in the labor force is associated with reduced poverty, better health and education, and faster economic growths (Duncan-Cassell, 2012). However, challenges are still prevalent. Challenges include: geographic disparities, shortages in infrastructure, limited economic opportunities, and socio-cultural barriers (Duncan-Cassell, 2012).