The world celebrates World Population Day!
It was in the year 1989, when the United Nations General Assembly declared July 11 as World Population Day to raise awareness about population's impact on environment and development of the planet. That year the population stood at 5 billion, fast forward 27 years it has already surpassed 7.6 billion. This year the theme is 'Family Planning: Empowering People, Developing Nations'.
What the world population would look like in future?
The current population of the world stands at 7.6 billion and despite a decline in the fertility rate since the 1960s, it is expected to surpass 11.2 billion by the year 2100. By 2050, the nine countries - India, US, Congo, Nigeria, Uganda, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Tanzania, Indonesia - would make up the 50% of the Earth's population. By 2024 India will overtake China's population.
Population Control: An issue for developing countries
According to experts, in the least developed countries population grows at a rate of 2.4% per year, which means 4.3 children per woman. The rate at which the population is rising would only result in the rapid consumption of resources, which are already scarce in these countries. In the years to come, these countries would find unable to feed themselves.
Theme of the year: Family planning
Family Planning is this year's theme and the focus of Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) - a UN affiliated organization aimed at providing 120 million women/girls access to modern contraceptives by 2020. The FP2020 has helped more than 30 million women and girls from the world's poorest countries. The program has already achieved a record rate of 30% contraceptive in East and Southern Africa.
Women Empowerment: Key to population control
World Population Day is essentially seen as a women's rights issue, which makes women empowerment important for population control. According to the World Bank, educated women have fewer children and safe planning options make women economically more productive. Access to education and information resulted in 75% fall in unintended pregnancies, unplanned births and induced abortions in developing regions.
How India will fare as the most populous country?
India is all set to become the most populous country by the year 2024. With 365 million population in the age bracket of 10-24 years, India's population growth would only fall around 2050. Having the youngest workforce in the world is also a disadvantage as the country is struggling to provide employment, healthcare and nutrition. This group would become the population driver in the coming decades.
Busting the birth control myths
Let's get rid of some of the common Birth control myths. First says that using an IUC (intrauterine contraceptive) lowers your chances of conceiving. Not true! Health experts say it does nothing of that sort and is safe for women of any age. The second myth says an Emergency contraception pill and abortion pill are the same. False, an EC only prevents pregnancy.
