Let’s measure our success by how many lives we change positively – UN

The UN says its agencies should measure their successes by how many lives they change positively.

Addressing a press conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, November 15, 2012, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Jan Eliasson called on UN agencies working on the African continent to measure their success  by how useful their action is to the development of Africans on the ground.

“Everything we do must be measured based on how it makes life easier for the local people,” he was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the UNECA’s Information and Communication Service.

According to the release, Mr. Eliasson recalled his past experiences in Africa, refuting media insinuations that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have been a flop on the continent.

“Although some targets of the MDGs (especially goals in the health sector) will not be achieved by many African countries, a lot of progress has been made in the areas of primary education by several nations,” he said.

“Between 1990 and 2008, Africa made remarkable progress in primary school enrollment, especially the enrollment of girls,” he pointed out.

“Of course, what remains to be done is to strengthen the secondary and technical schools sectors, so that pupils can get better prepared for gainful employment. This is what would help in the fight against unemployment and drive development,” he said.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi