World Population Day will be observed in Pakistan like many other parts of the world on Monday (tomorrow) to create awareness among the masses regarding family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights. This year's theme for the day is "Calling Attention to Urgent Global Issues" to raise awareness about global population issues.
To mark the day, rallies, processions, discussions and symposiums will be held across the country. The Population Welfare Department will also set up medical camps and arrange seminars to aware people about population related issues. Pakistan with a population of over 180 million people and growth rate of 1.86 percent per annum is the 6th most populous country in the world after China India, USA, Indonesia and Brazil. If current growth rate continues, the population of Pakistan would double in 39 years.
Experts told Business Recorder that censuses and population data plays a critical role in the development and humanitarian response and recovery. With accurate data they could make greater progress to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and promote and protect the dignity and human rights to all the people, they added. They said that every aspect of human, social, political, and economic activity is affected due to large population. Economic and social problems such as poverty and crime are believed to be intricately woven with the ballooning population.
World Population Day was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989 as a way to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues. It was an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on July 11, 1987. They urged the media to raise awareness among males about population related issues. They said population awareness campaigns should be launched and public representatives, clerics, doctors, educationists, agriculturists and businessmen should play their part in population control.