said Dr. David Suzuki, a Canadian academic, science broadcaster, and environmental activist.
is considered the main threat to the economic development of a country. Since 2020,
has affected the overall structure of the population by impacting critical demographic trends in fertility, mortality, and migration.
World population day was proposed to be celebrated as an extension of the Day of Five Billion (July 11, 1987), on which the world population reached five billion. In 1990, the UN General Assembly decided to promote awareness regarding population issues on this day and declared this day as a special one by resolution 45/216. The first world population day was commemorated on July 11, 1990, in more than 90 countries.
The rise in population affects the economic development and social protection of a country. It also negatively impacts universal access to healthcare and educational facilities.
World population day encourages activities that promote awareness related to reproductive health and family planning. Knowledge about global issues like maternal and baby health conditions, human rights violations, gender inequality, adolescent pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections are created among the general public. The main aim of this day is to enhance the overall awareness of population-related issues on various themes annually.
Theme for 2021
This year’s World Population Day theme is Rights and choices are the answer: Whether baby boom or bust, the solution to shifting fertility rates lies in prioritizing the reproductive health and rights of all people.
Since 2020, COVID-19 has compromised access to healthcare facilities, particularly in sexual and reproductive health, around many parts of the world. Gender-based inequities like child marriage and female genital mutilation have been worsened during lockdowns. A significant amount of women left their jobs due to family responsibilities, destabilizing their finances, not just for now but in the long run.
Thus, this year on world population day, United Nations Population Fund emphasizes that women must be empowered educationally, economically, and politically so that they can make their own choices over their bodies and fertility.
What Can We Do to Promote Reproductive Health and Curb Population Growth?
- Providing comprehensive sex education according to the age of an individual
- Promoting awareness about sexually transmitted diseases
- Promoting women empowerment across various sectors
- Expanding the access to contraceptives
- Nurturing sexual and reproductive rights of every human despite any differences
References:
- World Population Day
11 July – (https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-population-day) - World Population Day 2021
– (https://sdg.iisd.org/events/world-population-day-2021/) - World Population Day
– (https://vikaspedia.in/health/health-campaigns/important-days/world-population-day) - Do you know these 10 surprising world population facts? – (https://www.one.org/us/blog/10-surprising-population-facts/)
- Our population has become so large that the Earth cannot cope – (https://populationmatters.org/the-facts)
- 11 facts about the world’s changing population
– (https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/07/11-facts-about-world-population/)
Source: Medindia
