CBF council affirms UN anti-poverty goals

Posted: 10/26/07

CBF council affirms UN anti-poverty goals

By Greg Warner

Associated Baptist Press

DECATUR, Ga. (ABP)—The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s governing board endorsed the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals, joining many governmental and religious bodies in the global fight against extreme poverty, hunger and disease.

Colleen Burroughs, executive vice president of Passport Camps in Birmingham, Ala., made a motion at the June general assembly urging CBF to adopt the Millennium Development Goals as a framework for addressing urgent global issues. Her motion asked the council to study the issue. The council’s endorsement, approved without opposition, will be presented to the general assembly for approval in June.

The council was briefed on the global development goals, as well as work already under way by CBF missionaries that addresses the social needs highlighted by the UN in 2000. The eight goals, targeted for completion by 2015, are:

• Reduce by half extreme poverty and hunger.

• Achieve universal primary education.

• Promote gender equality and empower women.

• Reduce child mortality by two-thirds.

• Reduce maternal mortality by three-fourths.

• Reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

• Ensure environmental sustainability.

• Develop a global partnership for development.

“For the first time in history, we have the technology, the resources and the knowledge to get this done,” said Erin Tunney, senior international policy analyst for Washington-based Bread for the World, who briefed the Coordinating Council on the goals. “All we lack is the will. As Christians, we have the opportunity to get involved and help achieve these goals.”