Submitted and approved by the AEU Board of Directors

Whereas human rights and human development are profoundly tied, and lie at the heart of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s), which are:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

and each goal can best be achieved when we address the Human Rights issues of equality, non-discrimination, participation, inclusion, accountability, economic justice and social justice – as well as international solidarity and cooperation, according to Mark Malloch-Brown, administrator, United Nations Development Program; and

Whereas all 191 United Nations Member States have pledged to meet these goals by the year 2015; and

Whereas the cost to achieve these goals has been set at approximately 760 billion dollars over 11 years, a moderate amount in light of the cost of wars in Iraq, Bosnia, Sudan, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Eritrea, etc., and less than the world’s military expenditures in 2003 alone; and,

Whereas The American Ethical Union (AEU) through its National Service Conference (NSC), The American Humanist Association, and The International Humanist and Ethical Union are all accredited non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) at The United Nations dedicated to the furtherance of human rights throughout our several histories, as attested by our many resolutions in support of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and participation in many major world conferences; and

Whereas, representatives of the aforementioned organizations have joined with the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) to plan the 2004 DPI/NGO World Conference, “Millennium Development Goals: Civil Society Takes Action”, in pursuit of NGO commitment to achieve the MDG’s

Therefore Be It Resolved, that the Board of Directors of The American Ethical Union joins with The American Humanist Association and The International Humanist and Ethical Union and commits to working for the fulfillment of these aforementioned Millennium Development Goals both at home and abroad, and urges our member societies, their members, and AEU’s Affiliated Organizations to:

• also endorse and adopt the Millennium Development Goals;
• take moral and ethical responsibility to commit resources, as they are able, to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals;
• develop educational materials and programs to educate the public on the means of achieving these Millennium Development goals;
• most particularly direct their efforts to building political and economic upport for these Millennium Development Goals in the legislative and corporate arenas; and to urge the United States Government to prepare an annual accountability report detailing U.S. support for the implementation of the MDGs.