World Population Day – 11 July 2020
We have often heard from our parents and grandparents that they had many siblings and grew up in a united family. Back then, each couple had many children. The occupation of the people was simple, and so was the cost of living. Slowly as we progressed to the ’80’s, humans started to fill up all spaces. The growing number of people needed more and more space to live, want for more space lead to cutting down of the forest.
Ecological balance is disturbed. The increasing number of people also meant an increase in automobiles, this led to air pollution. The only way to restore things in nature was to control population growth. To create awareness about the overgrowing population and take steps to control the same, World Population Day is observed on 11th July annually all over the world.
When such a situation arrived, to make people aware of the situation, Governments in different countries came up with many awareness campaigns. Campaigns like “limit the family to four people”, encourage couples to have only one biological child, Child adoption etc.,
The entire purpose of observing World population day was to create awareness on the growing human population and its effect on the ecosystem and humanity itself.
World Population Day 2020 – History
World population day is all about raising awareness of the rise in population globally. This is a serious global issue that had to be addressed with immediate effect. In the year 1989, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programs declared this international day for the same purpose. The public interest inspired it in Five Billion Day on 11th July 1987. Coincidentally, on this day, the world population reached five billion people.
Cause of the increase in the number of people there is a lot of population issues. This day is all about spreading awareness on population issues like the importance of family planning, gender equality, Poverty, Maternal health and human rights.
World Population day was suggested by Dr K. C. Zachariah, who was then working as Sr. Demographer at World Bank. He suggested that efforts have to be made to spread awareness on population raise, as the world is already at five billion people.
World Population Day 2020 – Significance
The Significance of this day is to make people aware of population issues due to the increase in the number of people. Governments of different countries have implemented many programs. It is now critical for people to know them and follow. Make efforts in controlling the population. The current world population is at 7.8 Billion as per the calculation in March 2020. If we don’t act on it now, we may not be able to do it ever.
Issues due to Human Overpopulation
Several problems are cropping up due to human overpopulation.
The discrepancy in Eco Balance: We have cut down the forest, to make more space for human living. This, in turn, is disturbing the ecological balance. There are discrepancies in nature. Nature is unable to balance the ecosystem. Therefore, we had to face natural calamities like Tsunami, Floods, Earthquakes, Raise in the water levels in Oceans, Global warming etc.,
Gender Inequality: Men and Women are equals. But over the years, society has become more patriarchal, and women have lost their importance. This has led to female infanticide. We see that in many parts of the world, a girl child is killed at its birth. This has led to a massive difference in the ratio of girls and boys.
Poverty: The number of people graduating every year versus the number of employment available is not balancing out. As a result of this, many people find it very difficult to earn a living for themselves and their families. This adds to the people living in poverty or below the poverty line. When it becomes exceedingly difficult to earn a living for the family, the children of that family will not be able to receive a proper education. This increases the number of illiterates; the cycle repeats itself.
Natural resources exhaustion: Overpopulation means overuse of natural resources and thus resulting in the resource exhaustion. For example, In some of the cities, we have used up the underground water so much that its exhausted.
Global warming: Global warming means a drastic increase of heat on the globe. Global warming happened when we cut down our forest area, Exhausted the underground water, an increase of carbon dioxide in the air etc. Increase in global temperature results in the melting of ice, and thus there will be a raise in Seawater levels. Our coastal area is under the threat of getting submerged in water.
Extinction of Wild Life: Due to the rise in the human population, we are cutting down the forests to make more space for living. The wild animals living in the woods have lost their homes. As a result of this, many of the species of wildlife is getting extinct.
World Population Day 2020 – Celebration
International population day is observed to reaffirm the human rights to plan for a family. It encourages activities, events and information to help make this right a reality throughout the world. The day is celebrated worldwide by business groups, communities, Organisations, NGOs, Social welfare organizations and individuals in many ways.
Activities include seminar discussions, educational information sessions, painting and essay competitions, Letting people know about the population control programs announced by the Government and Child Adoption, how adopting a child also completes the family.
On World Population day activists and social welfare organizations work on spreading awareness on
- Importance of Family planning
- Adopt a child
- Gender equality
- Poverty
- Importance of fostering maternal health
- Human rights
- Effect of overpopulation on the environment
Some of the themes that were declared by the United Nations are
- Focus on Unmet goals was the theme in 2019, Where the focus was on reproductive health, and gender equality is essential for achieving sustainable development.
- Family planning is a human right was the theme for the year 2018.
- Family planning, Empowering people and developing nations was the theme for the year 2017.
- Investing in teenage girls was the theme for the year 2016, where the focus was on helping adolescent girls fight issues like early marriage and motherhood. Their right to education etc.
- Vulnerable population in emergencies, highlighting the needs of women and teenage girls during conflicts and humanitarian disasters were the theme for the year 2015.
The united nations have not declared the theme for the year 2020 as yet, but this year’s focus will be on humanitarian aid to meet 48 million women and young people urgently.
Symbol
The symbol used by the United Nations in their promotional event features a projection of a world map (less Antarctica) centred on the North pole, enclosed by Olive branches. The world map represents the world population (Or all the people in the world), and Olive stands for Peace, It featured in colours such as blue against the yellow background.
Let us make an effort positively towards reducing the world population by supporting the initiatives taken by the United Nations. Participation in the action taken by the social welfare associations at local, National and International level is also essential.
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