Every year, on July 11, World Population Day is celebrated. It is a holiday that is dedicated to concentrating on the significance of population issues. The United Nations had established this day as a result of the immense interest people had in Five Billion Day in 1987. Keep on reading to get more information about observing this important holiday.
History
As you already might know, right now there are more than seven billion people on earth. In 1987, Five Billion Day was meant to mark the date on which the population of the world reached approximately five billion people, which apparently happened on July 11 of that year. Nowadays the population has increased. Population issues deal with matters, from family planning, environmental impacts, and gender equality to human rights concerns.
In 1989, the Governing Council of the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) established World Population Day. The motivation to establish this holiday was the peaking public interest in the celebration of “Five Billion Day” on July 11, 1987. United Nations General Assembly decided to set this original date as “World Population Day”, and in December 1990, resolution 45/216 made this official.
This day serves to emphasize the increasing problems that come with the increasing global population. Considering that world resources are depleting at an unsustainable rate, overpopulation is a crucial issue. Awareness about the impacts of overpopulation on development and nature is highlighted. The growing population also reveals health problems faced by women throughout pregnancy and childbirth, making the necessity for family planning, gender equality, and maternal health more critical than ever.
The population issue is also causing pressure on society: blatant crimes are occurring more than ever in the areas of human rights and gender inequality, mainly in developing countries. Leadership is already doing an inadequate job at taking care of its citizens. Violations such as human trafficking and child labor are increasingly becoming normal as more people come into the world.
Timeline of World Population Day
1804 (First Billion) – The population of the world reached 1 billion people.
1927 (Second Billion) – The population of the world doubled to 2 billion.
1960 (Third Billion) – The population of the world reached 3 billion.
1989 (A Holiday was Born) – The United Nations recognized July 11 as World Population Day.
2000 (Sixth Billion) – Just forty years after it reached 3 billion, the population doubled to 6 billion.
April 24, 2017 (7.5 Billion) – On this day, statistical models estimated that the world population is at 7.5 billion.
Traditions
World Population Day is celebrated all over the world, in different countries hosting public discussions and seminars, whether virtual or at conferences. By various institutions, educational sessions and workshops are also held. Banners and slogans are distributed and people post about this day on social media.
FAQs about World Population Day
When is World population Day 2022?
Every year, on July 11, World Population Day is celebrated.
What was the topic of World Population Day 2020?
The topic for this day was “How to safeguard the rights and health of women and girls now.” This theme was selected in order to raise awareness about the health needs and reproductive vulnerabilities of women and young girls, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How many people were in the world in 2021?
In 2021, there were 7.9 billion people in the world.
How do we celebrate Population Day?
If you have a blog or other social platform for raising awareness, raise your voice on how to take precautions and combat population issues, because World Population Day is all about raising awareness of controlling the population, and the risks and outcomes of a disproportionate population-to-resources ratio.
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How to Celebrate World Population Day?
Educate yourself – Use World Population Day to do some research as there is an enormous amount of information out there about population issues. A perfect place to begin is with the United Nations Populations Fund, the lead United Nations agency for addressing population issues. There is a wide range of resources, so pick a few that really interest you and take a deep dive into their problems and possible solutions.
Share that information with your networks – if you live in a developed nation, you likely are not that impacted by population issues, at least in ways that are observable in your everyday life. That indicates that your friends, family, and followers probably are not affected, either. On this day, ask people to have a good long think on these problems, and what they can do to help. Make certain to hashtag it with #worldpopulationday, if you’re posting on social media.
Donate to institutions concentrated on population issues – There are so many outstanding NGOs and nonprofits out there that are doing hard work on population problems every single day, mostly in the developing world. They include institutions that educate women about family planning and contraception, institutions that support people to lift themselves out of poverty, and ones that assist refugees that have escaped their homes because of environmental matters or human rights abuses. If you are capable, find ways to donate your time and/or your money to these courageous institutions.
5 Interesting Facts about Population
1) The rate at which population grows – Every year, the world population increases by about 83 million people.
2) A change in the pattern – the European population is shrinking, whereas the population in Africa is growing.
3) Monaco has the densest population in the world – Monaco’s population is a staggering 39,500, which is about 68,212 people per square mile. It is the world’s 2nd smallest independent state.
4) Life expectancy is unexpectedly growing – The average global life expectancy, In 2000, was 67 years old. 20 years later it increased to 72.
5) 27% of the world’s population is made up of Millennials – Approximately 2 billion people all over the world are part of this generation.
Why World Population Day Is Important?
This day touches everyone – You probably don’t think of population issues having that much of an effect on your life if you live a comfortable lifestyle in a first-world country like the United States. However, if the population grows, more power and food are required to sustain all of them. It is very tough to keep up that food and power production at the rate that the population is increasing, and efforts to do so greatly contribute to climate change, which impacts you regardless of where you live.
This day asks us to look forward – World Population Day clearly reminds us to look at the present population and population problems that influence how people live now. However, this day is really concentrated on the future, and what actions it will take to slow population growth. The most significant thing to think of is what the world will look like for your kids, grandkids, etc. if the population growth, at this rate, will continue.
There is a big difference in how population issues affect different countries – In developing countries, population problems disproportionately affect people. For example, people in very poor countries have a life expectancy that is approximately twenty years shorter than people in rich, developed countries. 1/3 of population growth is because of unplanned pregnancies, which usually happen when people are lacking education and family planning services. World Population Day is a perfect reminder to step outside ourselves and concentrate on these critical issues.
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