Happily, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries can lay claim to having achieved a good number of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, serious work is needed to attain the balance.

To be sure, last week's summit at the United Nations serves as background for discussing the status of MDGs within the six-nation GCC. Agreed upon by UN members in 2000, the strategy attempts to achieve eight different goals by the 2015.

The goals include eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and women empowerment; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; combating diseases such as HIV/Aids and malaria; ensuring environmental sustainability and developing partnerships for development.

In reality, GCC countries are free from poverty and extreme hunger. Part of the credit goes to governments' social security schemes. Still, local charity funds in places like Bahrain provide a helping hand for the most needy.

With regard to education, statistics embedded within the 2009 Human Development Report issued by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), point to illiteracy amongst individuals above 15 years. The rate ranges from 5.5 per cent in Kuwait to 15 per cent in Saudi Arabia.

The case in Saudi Arabia partly stems from traditional social practices in rural areas discouraging females from attending public schools. However, Saudi authorities seem determined to address this shortcoming as evidenced in their allocation of $144 billion (Dh528.9 billion) towards education — 25 per cent of total budgetary spending — in the fiscal year of 2010.

Concurrently, $385 billion — half of the total spending of Saudi Arabia's ninth development plan covering the period 2010-14 — has been set aside for human resources development.

More specifically, the plan calls for the development of 25 technical colleges and the equipping of many other institutes with the latest technological means.

Yet, GCC states need to undertake major steps in addressing gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Like other countries in the world, women in the GCC earn less than males do. The ratio stands at 51 per cent and 16 per cent in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, respectively, and in turn the best and worst results amongst GCC countries.

Few women hold ministerial portfolios — less than 10 per cent in all GCC states. Traditionally, women tend to assume health, social development and education portfolios in regional countries. However, the UAE is a notable exception whose Minister of Foreign Trade is a woman, Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi.

Healthy progress

With regard to health goals, GCC member states are free from dangerous diseases like malaria, thanks to sustained public efforts in combating dangerous diseases.

Also, GCC nations have no problem meeting international standards concerning child mortality and maternal health.

Conversely, member states need to convince the world that they are ensuring environmental sustainability. In fact, this is one sticking point restricting the European Union from clinching a free trade agreement with the GCC. Other issues concern human rights as well as subsidies provided to industrial undertakings.

The last MDG of developing partnerships for development relates to matters such as transparency.

To be sure, Qatar stands out amongst regional countries after being ranked 22nd out 180 nations on the 2009 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) survey.

Berlin-based Transparency International produces the survey using perceptions expressed by business and academic professionals in various countries. The respondents provide views about possible corrupt practices involving public officials as regards matters such as the winning of contracts.

Certainly, GCC countries have the opportunity to meet all MDGs by 2015 if they allocate a significant portion of oil revenues to infrastructure, education and health.

The writer is a Member of Parliament in Bahrain.