|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
Public opinion about the MDGs
Opinion about the MDGs is measured through two survey questions: (i) whether reaching the goals by 2015 is feasible and (ii) which goals respondents prioritise for government action.
Key Message: Poverty reduction is the most motivating goal
> In all countries people are most pessimistic about halving poverty (see ‘least feasible’ in table 4). Despite this, respondents give it the highest priority (see table 3), followed by HIV/AIDs and Malaria as the second priority. The UK’s latest TNS survey comes up with similar findings where HIV/AIDS take first place, followed by poverty reduction and education.
> The lowest priority was given to reducing female death at childbirth. This is a goal that most people were optimistic about in terms of feasibility along with increasing aid.
> It seems that public opinion wants their governments to address the goals which they think are least likely to be achieved. This could be considered as an endorsement of the national commitment to the MDGs.
> A public campaign about the MDGs which focuses on the priority goals could both demonstrate the positive contribution of their country to these big problems and show that the government is in-line with public opinion. Increased public awareness from the campaign could result in credibility gains for the government, as well as increased trust.
Table 3. Top priority goals
|
Eurobarometer
Survey 2007
|
1st
priority
|
2nd
priority
|
3rd
priority
|
lowest
priority
|
|
Countries where MDG campaign has taken place
|
|
Belgium
|
poverty
|
education
|
HIV/AIDS
|
women dying from childbirth
|
|
Denmark
|
poverty
|
HIV/AIDS
|
environment
|
women dying from childbirth
|
|
Italy
|
poverty
|
HIV/AIDS
|
education
|
women dying from childbirth
|
|
Netherlands
|
poverty
|
HIV/AIDS
|
environment
|
women dying from childbirth
|
|
Finland
|
poverty
|
HIV/AIDS
|
environment
|
women dying from childbirth
|
|
Sweden
|
poverty
|
HIV/AIDS
|
environment
|
women dying from childbirth
|
|
Countries where no MDG campaign has taken place
|
|
France
|
poverty
|
HIV/AIDS
|
education
|
women dying from childbirth
|
|
UK
|
poverty
|
HIV/AIDS
|
environment
|
gender equality
|
|
UK TNS
|
HIV/AIDS
|
poverty
|
education
|
gender equality
|
Public opinion about the feasibility of the goals is very similar across countries as shown in table 4.
Table 4. Views on feasibility of achieving the Goals by 2015
|
Eurobarometer
Survey 2004
|
Goals most feasible
|
%
|
Goals least feasible
|
%
|
|
Countries where MDG campaign has taken place
|
|
Finland
|
Reduce death at childbirth
Increase aid
|
58
50
|
Universal primary education
Halve poverty
|
17
18
|
|
Netherlands
|
Increase aid
Reduce death at childbirth
|
65
64
|
Environment
Halve poverty
|
22
24
|
|
Sweden
|
Reduce death at childbirth
Increase aid
|
74
62
|
Universal primary education
Halve poverty
|
21
28
|
|
Belgium
|
Reduce death at childbirth
Increase aid
|
68
67
|
Halve poverty
Gender equality
|
25
35
|
|
Italy
|
Reduce death at childbirth
Increase aid
|
67
64
|
Debt
Halve poverty
|
44
45
|
|
Denmark
|
Increase aid
Reduce death at childbirth
|
68
67
|
Universal primary education
Halve poverty
|
22
23
|
|
Countries where no MDG campaign has taken place
|
|
UK
|
Increase aid
Reduce death at childbirth
|
65
61
|
Debt
Halve poverty
|
33
37
|
|
France
|
Reduce death at childbirth
Increase aid
|
62
60
|
Halve poverty
Universal primary education
|
14
36
|
|
Canada 2003
(different survey)
|
People who think halving poverty is unlikely
|
68
|
|
|
In most countries, baseline survey results fed into MDG Campaigns in terms of thematic focus whereby the overarching message of halving poverty was complemented with a focus on the themes that concerned/inspired people. Most of the campaigns focused predominantly on poverty reduction and made connections between the other goals and the overarching goal of poverty reduction. According the Belgian Campaign Manager, the use of poverty as the hook worked very well.
Country Notes
Country note on the MDG campaign in Belgium
Country note on the MDG campaign in the Netherlands
Country note on the MDG campaign in Sweden
Further reading on MDG campaigns:
http://www.endpoverty2015.org
http://millenniumcampaign.it/standup/
Data sources:
All cited documents can be downloaded from our webpage: Public opinion polls about development cooperation
Previous: Sustaining public recognition of the MDGs is a challenge
|
