Tempo effect of child mortality rate in the MENA region from the perspective of Millennium Development Goals: a policy debate

Ardeshir Entezari, Centre for Population Studies and Research, Tehran
Nader Motie Haghshenas, Population Studies and Research Center in Asia and the Pacific
Somayeh Karami Nia, Population Studies & Reaserch Center in Asia & the Pacific

Two of the Millennium Development Goals are directly related to the challenges posed by mortality. MDG 4, namely “Reducing infant and child mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015” and MDG5,namely,” Improving maternal health and reduce maternal mortality by three quarters between 1990 and 2015”.The paper examines tempo effect of child mortality rates in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region during 1990-2006 and to explore it’s relation with GDP, education, HPI and Healthy life expectancy at birth variables. Data used in this analysis are mostly taken from the Human Development Report (HDR) for 2006 and WHO for 2008.Our analysis on 19 countries of MENA region reveals that tempo effect of child mortality rates during 1990-2006 (Divided to two set time series)are different among male and female and gender gap is dwindle.Correlation between tempo effect of child mortality rates with education,GDP,Healthy life expectancy variables are negative and significant statistically.