BEIRUT: LAU Model United Nations program students took part in a conference organized by the United National Information Center (UNIC) to launch the recommendations of Lebanon for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on Friday.

The presentation, which took place at the UN headquarters in Beirut, included discussion about ways of eradicating poverty, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women in addition to many other economic concerns in Lebanon and the world.

“The population living below the upper poverty line [below $4 per capita] is estimated at 28.5 percent. Of these, 8 percent are extremely poor and live below the lower poverty line estimated at US$ 2.4 per capita per day,” LAU students said.

The main target, they said, is to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day. “It is also of utmost importance to achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people,” they added.

Students’ recommendations regarding poverty included the implementation of social safety net systems in addition to the adoption of an integrated and comprehensive social development strategy and an efficient mechanism to measure poverty.

They added that one of the MDGs include ensuring that, by 2015, children everywhere, of both genders, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. “This would be possible by working on developing a culture of quality among all those involved in education ensuring relevance of schooling. Moreover, the exchange of experience and knowledge between Arab countries is needed,” they said.

LAU called upon Lebanon to stand up, take action and make noise for these eight MDGs, which also include reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and creating a global partnership for development.

Elie Samia, director of the guidance office at LAU and project director of Model UN, said that behind the partnership between LAU and UNIC was the fact that young people are the main catalyst for bringing about the legitimate demands of public opinion in Lebanon. “We partnered because we believe in the power, creativity, and dynamism of the Lebanese civil society and we want to believe that it is possible to create a legislative and governmental consensus around the Millennium Development Goals,” he said. “

UNIC Beirut Director Bahaa El Koussy said that these goals must be achieved by 2015. He placed a great importance on the role of youths and students “because they represent a fundamental factor in the advancement of societies, a principal force for change and progress and a key, active partner in sustainable development.”