Azerbaijan has a better chance than most other CIS countries of meeting MDG 1 (reducing poverty and extreme poverty), providing that efforts are continued to use oil revenues prudently; to develop the non-oil sector through an improved investment and business environment; and to ensure a more equitable distribution of the benefits of economic growth - throughout the regions, and all sections of the population.

The country is on track for MDG 2 (universal primary education), and is rated higher than the European countries of the CIS, but has to concentrate on improving the quality of school education.

For MDG 3 (Gender Equality and Empowerment), efforts have to be made to halt the trend towards gender inequality in enrolment in the higher classes of secondary school. There have been recent increases in women's representation in Parliament, although the share of women remains low.

For MDG 4 (Child Mortality), sustainable progress will depend on reduction in income poverty (MDG 1), and further improvements in the access and quality of health services through Primary Health Care Reform. For MDG 4 and 5 there are problems of data collection and definitions which still have to be solved in order to set realistic and meaningful national targets.

For MDG 5 (Maternal Mortality), there are measurement problems, and there is a need for improvement in this regard.

For MDG 6 (HIV/ AIDS, malaria and other diseases), the country has so far managed to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS to a greater extent than in some other countries of the CIS; malaria has also been contained, and like other CIS countries, Azerbaijan has had some recent success in improving the prevention and cure of TB.

With regard to MDG 7 (environmental sustainability), the country has to work on reversing the loss of area covered by forest, and to ensure that environmental concerns are taken into account at all levels of policy making. While it is on track for supply of improved drinking water for urban areas, progress is still slow in rural areas. Efforts are required to ensure that the quality of piped water meets international health standards, and regular supply is ensured through utility reforms and public investment in infrastructure.

In MDG 8, youth unemployment is being addressed to a certain extent through the Government's Regional Development Programme, which aims to promote job creation in the regions.

Source:  Azerbaijan MDG Progress Report 2003/2004