Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region at one time had the highest population growth rates in the world, exceeding Sub-Saharan Africa. In the 1990s population growth slowed, and is now about 2 percent -- still more than South Asia, but less than Sub-Saharan Africa. Nonetheless, this demographic transition will continue to pressure social and economic infrastructures for years to come.

The region has experienced a fairly steady decline in the poverty rate, though not sufficient to avoid a rising count in the number of poor. The proportion of population living below $1.25 a day fell from 4.3 percent in 1990 to 3.6 percent in 2005, but the number of poor people increased from 9.7 million to 11 million. If $2 a day line is used, the poverty rate fell from 20 percent in 1990 to 17 percent in 2005, but the number of people living below $2 a day has increased from 44.4 million to 51.4 million. Overall, MENA is advancing to meet the MDGs, albeit progress has been uneven. Social and human development indicators for MENA showed marked improvement during the 1980s and 1990s, continuing a trend established over earlier decades.

Significant advances have taken place in improving indicators such as life expectancy, child mortality, and school enrollment for both men and women, among others. For instance, MENA has been gradually improving universal access to primary education since 1990. While Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Syria, and Tunisia have already reached the universal primary completion rate and half of the other countries are likely to achieve the goal by 2015, Djibouti and Morocco require more effort to accomplish the goal by 2015. MENA has significantly increased gender equality in education as well. Half of the countries already achieved gender parity both in primary and secondary education and the other countries are likely to achieve the goal very soon except for Djibouti, Iraq, Lebanon, and Morocco, which need to accelerate efforts to reach the goal.

The region has a well-developed infrastructure. About 88 percent of its population has access to improved water sources, and 91 percent to electricity. About 70 percent of its roads are paved. But with internal freshwater resources of 730 cubic meters per capita, MENA ranks well below the average of other regions. More than half of the countries are unlikely to achieve access to sanitation facilities target for 2015.

Goal 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Goal 2. Achieve universal primary education

Goal 3. Promote gender equality and empower women

Goal 4. Reduce child mortality

Goal 5. Improve maternal health

Goal 6. Combat HIV / AIDS Malaria & other diseases

Goal 7. Ensure environmental sustainability