World Population Day today
World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 to raise awareness about global population issues. Overpopulation is a critical concern as the world’s resources are being used up at an unsustainable rate. Besides, the need to guarantee that women have access to family planning, gender equality, and maternal health care is more important than ever because of the expanding population’s impact on maternal health and family planning issues.
The major purpose of this day is to raise awareness of all the negative impacts that population growth has had on the steady development of nature
The theme for this year is “A world of 8 billion: Towards a resilient future for all – Harnessing opportunities and ensuring rights and choices for all”. As the theme suggests, there are 8 billion people living today but not all of them have equal rights and opportunities.
Too many individuals continue to experience discrimination, harassment, and violence based on their gender, ethnicity, class, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and country of origin. Due to the overpopulation issue, gender inequality and human rights violations are more common than ever in emerging nations.
Globally, this day is celebrated by organising seminars, discussions, educational sessions, public contests, slogans, workshops, debates, songs, etc.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion of World Population Day-2022 and wished success of the programmes taken to observe the day.
In his message, the President said planned family formation is essential to limit population growth as Bangladesh is a populous country.
The population of the country is constantly increasing in size, he said, adding that in order to take the country forward on the path of prosperity, it is necessary to ensure sustainable and optimal use of existing resources by keeping the population at the desired level.
The Head of the State added that the population must be turned into human resources.
“The importance of planned and efficient human resources for sustainable development is immense,” he said.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the planned population plays an important role in meeting basic rights such as food, clothing, shelter, education and health alongside building a happy and prosperous country.
The Awami League-led government is working relentlessly to improve the living standards of the people of the country, the Premier said.
“We are implementing various programmes to build a suitable future by ensuring the opportunities, preferences and rights of the people through the formation of a planned population and a planned family,” she added.
Health services are being delivered to the doorsteps of the rural poor by setting up one community clinic for every 6,000 people, she said.
Field workers from the Family Planning Department are going door-to-door every month to provide health services and necessary counseling including couple-visiting, family planning, maternal and child health care, reproductive health care and services related to normal childbirth and adolescent health care.
New steps have been taken for safe motherhood, adolescent health, women’s education and women’s employment, she said.
“In the COVID-19 situation, we all have to live maintaining the health rules,” the Premier continued.
All stakeholders need to be more dedicated to ensuring the best use of the necessary infrastructures in providing grassroots services such as family planning, maternal and child health and reproductive health services to build a healthy nation, she said.
Sheikh Hasina called upon the government as well as non-governmental organizations, media, conscious individuals and organizations to come forward in this activity.
The Premier urged all to work together for building a secular, hunger-free and prosperous country by establishing ‘Sonar Bangladesh’ as dreamt by Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
State-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar and other private television channels will broadcast special programmes on the occasion of the day.