Most emphasized income poverty, education and health, but there was less attention to employment, environment, hunger and maternal mortality targets. Yet surprisingly, the consensus on poverty as a priority has not generated new thinking about policy alternatives for faster poverty reduction. That approach has emphasized macroeconomic stabilization and adoption of Washington Consensus-style macroeconomic policies to promote aggregate economic growth based on private investments and market liberalization. Additionally, greater focus was placed on social sector investments to meet basic needs and social protection policies. In fact, some developing countries have successfully pursued equitable growth strategies that have not only led to growth with income poverty reduction but also to reduced inequality and improved social outcomes as measured by the MDGs. These countries have taken a more interventionist approach by promoting expansionary macroeconomic policies, raising taxation and public expenditure, expanding employment, and raising incomes of the poor through minimum wage legislation and conditional cash transfers.6 Effective macroeconomic policies for the achievement of the MDGs are discussed below.