Date: Thursday, 11 July 2024, 34th Anniversary.
Sponsor: United Nations
Objectives:
World Population Day is annually observed on July 11 for the following purposes:
- to draw public attention to the urgency and importance of global population issues, and
- to promote people’s awareness of the health, development, and environmental impacts of rapid population growth.
Inception:
The World Population Day was held for the first time on 11 July 1990.
History:
In 1989, World Population Day was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Program through a resolution (A/RES/45/216). It was inspired by the public interest in the approximate date on which the world’s population reached five billion people – observed on 11 July 1987. The Day was suggested by Dr. K.C. Zachariah when he worked as a demographer at the World Bank.
Background:
One hundred years ago, the world’s population was no more than 2 billion. Nowadays, there are more than 7.8 billion people over the world. Every year, about 83 million people are being added to the world’s population. It is expected that the world’s population will reach 8.6 billion by 2030, 9.8 billion by 2050, and 10.9 billion by 2100, which will put a great burden on natural resources.
Population issues include but are not limited to population growth, family planning, marriage and reproduction, maternal health, gender equality, poverty, and human rights.
Annual theme in recent years:
2023 theme: “Unleashing the power of gender equality.”
2022 theme: “A world of 8 billion: towards a resilient future for all.”
2021 theme: “The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on fertility.”
2020 theme: “How to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls.”
2019 theme: 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development, no specific theme.
2018 theme: “Family planning is a human right.”
2017 theme: “Family planning: empowering people, developing nations.”
2016 theme: “Investing in teenage girls.”
Official Website:
www.un.org/en/events/populationday/
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