July 12, 2021
Anna Murray
Every year on July 11, the world commemorates World Population Day to draw attention to national and global overpopulation. The day is observed to raise awareness about issues such as family planning, child marriage, gender equality, human rights, and others.
World Population Day was established on July 11, 1987, to draw public attention to the fact that the world's population had surpassed the five billion mark. In December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly commemorated and recognized World Population Day. Since then, the day has been observed and recognized every year. On this special day, the entire world comes together to raise awareness of the issues caused by overpopulation. It also raises awareness of how overpopulation can harm both the ecosystem and human progress or growth.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and fear, much emphasis has been placed on raising national or global awareness about overpopulation so that the world can ensure the long-term growth of our existing resources. The world population surpassed 7 billion in 2011, and it is now estimated to be around 7.7 billion. COVID-19 slowed global gains in mortality and morbidity by years to decades. Hunger and poverty increased during the pandemic as COVID-19 disrupted markets and limited access to food, resulting in price increases that devastated those with little money to spare.
The World Bank predicts that food insecurity will persist or worsen in low-income countries until 2022, as the pandemic rages. Over 100 million people have been pushed back into extreme poverty and chronic hunger since the outbreak of COVID-19.
According to Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the $180 million withheld by the UK from the UNFPA flagship family planning program in 2021 could have prevented approximately 250,000 maternal and child deaths, 14.6 million unintended pregnancies, and 4.3 million unsafe abortions.
The theme for World Population Day 2021 is "the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fertility" in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic and vaccination campaign. The UNFPA program in Libya aims to deliver a world where every pregnancy is desired and every birth is safe, in accordance with the theme and aspirations of 2021 World Population Day. COVID-19 uncovered serious inequalities and flaws in Libya's healthcare systems. Libya, on the other hand, is committed to providing people, particularly women and girls, as well as migrants, refugees, and other vulnerable groups, with continuous reproductive health (RH) services.
Photo:webshot.