Population Milestone of 7 Billion is a Call to Action for Investment in Equality, says UNFPA Report
Published: Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Last Wednesday, 26th October, the IFPA hosted the launch of the UNFPA flagship report, State of World's Population. The theme for 2011 was People and Possibilities in a World of 7 Billion.
Press Release from the Irish Family Planning Association
- Governments that are serious about eradicating poverty must be serious about investment in reproductive health - Minister Jan O'Sullivan
DUBLIN, 26 October 2011 -- In five days, world population is projected to reach 7 billion. How we respond now will determine whether we have a healthy, sustainable and prosperous future or one that is marked by inequalities, environmental decline and economic setbacks, according to The State of World Population 2011 report, published today by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.
The report provides a snapshot of how nine countries are facing diverse demographic challenges, ranging from ageing populations to high fertility rates, and from urbanization to the emergence of new generations of young people.
The 7 billion milestone is a "challenge, an opportunity and a call to action for investment in equality", according to Jacqueline Mahon, Senior Policy Advisor on Global Health and Health Systems UNFPA, who presented the report findings at the launch in Dublin.
"We all count. We are all part of the 7 billion. Our record population size can be viewed in many ways as a success for humanity. But not everyone has benefited from this achievement or the higher quality of life that this implies. Great disparities exist among and within countries and these gaps are widening between rich and poor almost everywhere. Disparities in rights and opportunities also exist between women and men, girls and boys.
"The report makes a strong case for sound planning and investment in people. By empowering people to make choices that are not only good for themselves and their families, but also for our global good, we can chart a path to a sustainable and productive future that promotes equality rather than exacerbates inequalities. In the end it is the choices and opportunities enjoyed by individuals that determine population dynamics."
Speaking at the launch Minister of State for Trade and Development Jan O'Sullivan said if we want to address the challenges posed by a rapidly expanding world population, we have to address the vicious cycle of extreme poverty, food insecurity, inequality, high death rates and high birth rates in the poorest countries.
Click here to read the report in full...
Click here to read the full press release.....
Click here to read the insightful speeches from the day in full...