World Millennium

Development Goals
Comparison of Laos and Sierra Leone

Goal #1:
The goal is eradicate
extreme poverty for at
least half of the
percentage of people
whose income is less
than $1.25 a day as
well as half the
percentage of people
who suffer from
starvation

Goal 1: Comparison

Laos
Percentage of population below $1.25 in
2008 was 33.9%, this number has
dropped 40% since 1992.
The 2015 food poverty goal is 19% and
as of 2008 it is at 19.8% and expected to
hit the goal.

Sierra Leone
Percentage of population below $1.25 in
1990 was 62.8%. In 2011, 51.7%
From 1990 to 2013 the population of
undernourished people decreased from
42.8% to 25.5%

Comparison:
Laos has dropped significantly in percentage of poverty, and has almost accomplished
the goal of hunger. Sierra Leone has not seen the drastic changes that Laos has, and doesnt
appear to be on track to complete their poverty goals by the end of 2015. Sierra Leone is
coming close to achieving their goal of lowering hunger. However, the percentage of people
suffering from an income of $1.25 has only dropped by 11%. So far, Laos has seen the most
improvement in both criterias.

Goal #2:
To ensure that, by 2015,
children everywhere,
boys and girls alike, will
be able to complete a
full course of primary
schooling.

Goal 2: Comparison
Laos

has seen significant achievement since

the 1990s but still lacks the correct
funding.
Enrollment ratio has increased to 48%
since 1990 but still falls short of the
goal of 98%

Sierra Leone

In 2012, 72% of pupils finish their last

grade of primary
Between 2009 and 2012 there was a
gross enrollment percentage increase
of 132% male vs. 131% female
Net attendance ratio in primary
education between 2008-2013 was 73
males and 76 females

Comparison:
Laos is still struggling to get education to the remote regions of their country. With lack
of funding they will not hit their goal this year. As for Sierra Leone, their education is becoming
more available to the children. They show significant improvement, well beyond the goal. It is
evident that Sierra Leone has definitely improved their education system unlike Laos.

Goal #3:
Eliminate gender
disparity in primary and
secondary education,
preferably by 2005, and
in all levels of education
no later than 2015.

Goal 3: Comparison
Laos

Equality in schooling is near even, only

with a little discrepancy in tertiary
education.
They have one of the highest levels of
women in parliament.
Wage gap amongst the sexes is still
there.

Sierra Leone

As of 2012, the ratio of boys to girls

enrolled in primary is 99%.
Seats held by woman in national
parliament as of 2014 was 12%

Comparison:
Laos has seen a lot of success in this goal, so much so that they have allowed a higher
percentage of women into their legal system than most other countries. They still struggle with
inequality in wages. Sierra Leone has had tremendous success in enrolling children into primary
education, while keeping a near 100% boy to girl ratio.

Goal #4:
Reduce by two-thirds,
between 1990 and 2015,
the under-five mortality
rate

Goal 4: Comparison
Laos

Laos has decreased in just over half of

under-five mortality rates; 170 to 79
Infant mortality rates, with similar
results; 114 to 68
They have already hit their goal for
under-five mortality and appear to be
on track to achieve their goal for infant
mortality rate.

Sierra Leone
The Under-5 mortality rate was 257 in
1990 and dropped to 182 to 2012
The Infant mortality rate (under 1 yr) in
1990 was 153 and lowered to 117 in
2012

Comparison:
Laos continues to lower both of these indicators and will continue to see success as
they make available vaccines and other medical care to the remote regions of the country.
Sierra Leones Under-5 mortality rate dropped 30% since 1990, not reaching the two-third goal.

Goal #5:
Reduce by threequarters, between 1990
and 2015, the maternal
mortality ratio.

Goal 5: Comparison

Laos
Maternal Mortality have been cut in half
as of 2009. Though this seems to be a
great achievement they still rank
higher than the region around them.
Dropping from 796 to 357.
Only 38% of births are facility-assisted.
The majority of which are in rural
areas.

Sierra Leone
From 2008-2012, a 860 Maternal
mortality ratio was reported, dropping
61% since 1990
In 2010, a Maternal mortality ratio for
the lifetime risk of maternal deaths is 1
in 23 births

Comparison:
Sierra Leones maternal mortality ratio has dropped 61% and could very well be close to
reaching their goal by 2015. Although Laos hasnt seen a decrease of 61% it still has a lower
Maternal Mortality Ratio than Sierra Leone.

Goal #6:
Have halted by 2015 and
begun to reverse the
spread of HIV/AIDS, and
have halted by 2015 and
begun to reverse the
incidence of malaria and
other major diseases .

Goal 6: Comparison

Laos
Laos has really taken control of malaria
in just ten years they have dropped the
mortality rate from 7.1 to .3 per 100,000
population.
However the other diseases havent
seen the same control efforts, and in
fact only about 55% of the people in
need of treatment receive it.
HIV cases have been increasing about
1000 cases a year.

Sierra Leone
In 2012, HIV prevention among males
aged 15-24 is .3% and 1% in females
Adult HIV prevalence in 2012 was 1.5%
Tuberculosis prevalence rate per
100,000 people was 507 in 1990 and
1304 in 2012

Comparison:
Sierra Leone has had slight success with HIV prevention and no improvement in
Tuberculosis cases. Sierra Leone seems to not advance While Laos continues to face issues
with HIV. Laos still struggles with being able to provide the necessary care to the people who
need it.

Goal #7:
Integrate the principles of
sustainable development
into country policies and
programs and reverse the
loss of environmental
resources
Halve the proportion of
people without sustainable
access to safe drinking
water and basic sanitation
Achieve by 2020 a
significant improvement in
the lives of at least 100
million slum dwellers

Goal 7: Comparison

Laos
Access to safe drinking water has
increased to 70% of the country
Use of sanitation facilities peaked at
88%.
They have depleted a lot of their forest
coverage in the years prior. They have
implemented programs to increase the
forest coverage.

Sierra Leone
In 2011, the use of improved drinking
water sources in urban areas: 84% and
rural areas:40%, thus 60% of total
population has improved sources
In 2011, the use of improved sanitation
facilities in urban areas: 22% and rural
areas: 6.7%, thus 13% of total
population has improved facilities

Comparison:
Although Sierra Leone has seen success in bringing safe drinking water to its people it
still falls short of its overall population receiving that water. Sierra Leone provides only 60%
while Laos has improved to 70% overall increase. The same pattern followed with access to
sanitation facilities with Laos nearing 90%.

Goal #8:
Improve Trading and
financial system
help less fortunate countries
with trade barriers, including
landlocked developing
countries.
Help debt issues through
international and national
measures.
provide affordable
pharmaceutical drugs
Provide new technologies

Goal 8: Comparison

Laos
As of February of 2013 Laos became a
member of the WTO, this has been a
major factor in allowing more
economic freedom and access to
technology than any other decision in
its past.

Sierra Leone
Debt relief committed under
HIPC and MDRI Initiatives was
889 million and 502 million,
respectively.

Comparison:
Laos has enabled their country to grow recently with the WTO membership. This has
allowed for increased trade and economic freedom. These decisions have came from within its
own country. Sierra Leone on the other hand has had to reach out to the other parts of the
world for economic relief. This brings us to believe that Laos has a better core when it comes
to this goal. They Havent shown the significant signs of improvement that this goal was
established for.

Laos is the Winner with a score of 5 to 3. By a slight margin we feel Laos

has progressed more in the World Millennium Goals in comparison to
Sierra Leone.