New Contest: on World Population Day 2023, Participate Here

World Population Day 2023: World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 to shift the focus of the world on population issues. Overpopulation has become a critical concern as the world’s resources are being used up at an unsustainable rate. The major purpose of World Population Day 2023 is to raise awareness of all the negative impacts that population growth has on the steady development of nature. 

According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres,” Sustainable Development 2030 agenda is the world’s blueprint for a better future for all on a healthy planet. On World Population Day we recognize that this mission is closely interrelated with demographic trends including population growth, aging, migration, and urbanisation”.

Population issue includes family planning, gender equality, child marriage, human rights, right to health, baby’s health, etc. Therefore, World Population Day focuses on the importance of reproductive health and how it affects overall growth and development plans and programs.

World Population Day 2023: Theme

The theme of World Population Day 2023 is ‘A World of 8 billion: Towards a resilient future for all- Harnessing Opportunities and ensuring rights and choices for all’. As per this year’s theme, there are 8 billion people living today, however, not all of them have equal rights and opportunities. 

People all over the world, even in the present times, continue to experience harassment, discrimination, and violence because of their gender, class, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and country of origin. World Population Day 2023 provides an opportunity to highlight the fact that the overpopulation issue, human rights violations, and gender inequality are more common than ever in emerging nations.  

UN Council every year decides the theme of World Population Day but in 2019 specific theme is not decided and calls for global attention to the unfinished business of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development. It is necessary to recognise that reproductive health and gender equality are essential for achieving sustainable development. To achieve these unmet goals, in November, UNFPA together with the governments of Kenya and Denmark will be convening a high-level conference in Nairobi to accelerate the efforts.

Let us tell you that in 1994, International Conference on Population and Development was held at Cairo where a revolutionary Programme of Action was adopted by 179 governments and called for women’s reproductive health and rights to take centre stage in global and national development efforts. This programme basically focuses on comprehensive reproductive health care including family planning, safe pregnancy, childbirth services, prevention, and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. No doubt for the advancement of society women’s empowerment and reproductive health both are necessary.

World Population Day: History

In 1989, World Population Day was established by the Governing Council of the United National Development Programme as an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on 11 July, 1987. By the time, now it is necessary to generate awareness among the public about the population issues and the impact they have on development and the environment.

Several organisations like United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), governments, and non-governmental organisations organise educational activities and other events on this day.

The United Nations General Assembly by resolution 45/216 of December 1990, decided to continue observing World Population Day to raise awareness of population issues and their relations to the environment and development. On 11 July, 1990, the day was first marked in more than 90 countries. Since then, a number of UNFPA country offices and other organisations and institutions commemorate World Population Day in partnership with governments and civil society.

World Population Day 2023: How the day is celebrated?

It is an international event where various countries, organisations participate and draw attention to the major issues related to the population of the world. Activities organized on this day includes seminar, discussion, educational sessions, public contest, slogans, workshops, debates, songs, etc. Not only this, even TV channels, news channels, radio broadcast various programs related to population, and the importance of family planning.

So, the World population is observed worldwide every year on 11 July to draw the attention of the public towards the importance of population issues and the need to curb them.