The World Population Day is a United Nations’ initiative celebrated on the 11th of July every year. This day aims at spreading awareness about the exploding world population and the importance of reproductive health. World Population Day 2018 observes the theme, “Family planning is a human right.” For the first time, this day was celebrated in the year 1989. The Governing Council of the United Nations’ Development Program initiated this due to the population toll in the year 1987. It had already crossed the 5 billion mark and exploding world population had indeed become a serious cause of concern. Therefore, this day was initiated to combat the issue of growing population and raise awareness among the public about the same. World Population Day, on a vast scale, focuses on the need and importance of controlling the increasing world population. World Population Day 2018, however, focuses on the importance of family planning. The slogan, “Family planning is a human right,” for the first time, gives response to a 50-year-old legislation which states that women and girls can refuse to have multiple pregnancies placed too close, if they wanted.
What is the importance of World Population Day?
The primary aim of this initiative is to increase awareness about reproductive health problems among the people. This is due to the fact that a large number of pregnant women succumb to poor reproductive health. Research shows that 800 women die every day due to the process of birthing a baby. Therefore, the primary aim and importance of this day is to get more and more people to know how to boost their reproductive health pay attention on the importance of family planning.
World Population Day is the celebration of awareness; one which tries to get people to know and learn about population issues. Population issues include things like family planning, human rights, right to health, the baby’s health, gender equality, child marriage, use of contraceptives, sex education, knowledge about sexually transmitted disease, etc.
Sexuality-related issues need to be addressed between 15-19 years of age. This is due to the fact that 15 million pregnancies in the world take place in women of this age group. Out of these, 4 million pregnancies end in abortion due to pregnancy complication or other reproductive health-related issues.
Take a look at the many objectives of the World Population Day 2018:
1. This day is celebrated to empower both, young boys and girls.
2. Educating them about reasonable and youth-friendly techniques of avoid unwanted pregnancies at a young age.
3. Ensuring the access of primary education for both girls and boys.
4. Educating people to remove gender stereotypes from the society.
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5. Educating people about sexually transmitted infections and how they can be prevented.
6. Ensuring easy access to reproductive health care services to every couple.
7. Demanding certain laws for protecting the rights of a girl child.
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8. To offer knowledge about sexuality and continue delaying marriages until and unless one is able to understand the responsibilities which come along with it.