World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 to raise awareness about global population issues. Overpopulation has become a major concern as global resources are being used up at an unsustainable rate.
World Population Day was subsequently created in 1989 by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme. In December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly recognised the day by adopting resolution 45/26, which sought to raise awareness of the population's growth as well as related issues, such as equality, fundamental rights, poverty, development, and the environment.
Milestone
The world population touched 8 billion on November 15, 2022. The world population had reached 1 billion in the year 1804. It reached 5 billion in the year 1987. From there on it took 35 years for the world population to reach from 5 billion to 8 billion. The population of the world is expected to touch 10 billion by the year 2058.
World population: Source and methodology
"The United Nations Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs every two years calculates, updates, and publishes estimates of total population in its World Population Prospects series. These population estimates and projections provide the standard and consistent set of population figures that are used throughout the United Nations system," informs worldometers.info.
The United Nations has chosen World Population Day 2023's theme as "Unleashing the power of gender Equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world's infinite possibilities.
"This pervasive injustice keeps women and girls out of school, the workforce and leadership positions; limits their agency and ability to make decisions about their health and sexual and reproductive lives; and heightens their vulnerability to violence, harmful practices and preventable maternal death, with a woman dying every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth," states the United Nations on the eve of World Population Day 2023.
"We must advance gender equality to create a more just, resilient and sustainable world. The creativity, ingenuity, resources and power of women and girls are fundamental to addressing demographic and other challenges that threaten our future, including climate change and conflict," the United Nations further says.
