📷 Image Credits: Jagran Josh
World Population Day is observed annually on July 11 to raise awareness about global population growth and its impact on development and sustainability. The current global population stands at 8,120,886,060 and is continuously rising. The significant increase in the world’s population over the years poses various challenges. It took centuries for the population to reach 1 billion, but in a few hundred years, it has grown sevenfold, reaching the 7 billion mark in 2011, according to the UN.
World Population Day was established in 1989 by the then-Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme to focus on population issues. The United Nations General Assembly decided to continue observing World Population Day through resolution 45/216 to enhance awareness of population issues, including their relations to the environment and development.
The theme for World Population Day 2024 is ‘Leave No One Behind, Count Everyone,’ emphasizing the importance of inclusive and thorough data collection. This ensures that everyone is accurately represented in the population count, regardless of background, nationality, geography, or socioeconomic standing. The UN Secretary-General’s Message for this year highlights the urgency to fulfill the promises of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action, especially regarding women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The Secretary-General emphasizes the progress made in providing access to modern contraception for women and reducing maternal mortality rates. However, he notes the inequality in progress, with around 800 women dying every day during pregnancy and childbirth, most in developing countries. The call to action is to invest in data collection to better understand and address these challenges and to ensure sustainable development.
The Summit of the Future is mentioned as an opportunity for countries to leverage financial investments for sustainable development. The message urges countries to deliver on the ICPD Programme of Action for the well-being of everyone, everywhere. In light of World Population Day, it is crucial to recognize the importance of comprehensive data collection for informed decision-making and progress towards a more equitable and sustainable future.
