New Delhi: Every July 11 the world observes World Population Day raise awareness about various issues related to the population such as gender equality, maternal health issues, human rights, and reproductive rights. The day was marked as population day after the Five Billion Day on July 11, 1987, in which the world population had reached five billion. This year the United Nations is focussing on the Covid 19 crisis and its impact on maternal health, challenges for women and girls in humanitarian settings, impact on the elderly, and census.

ALSO READ| EXCLUSIVE| No Covid 19 Vaccine Till August 15th, Development Will Take Months: Health Ministry

Pandemic and Impact on women

This year the United Nations is focussing on ‘how to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls’. According to the United Nations, the pandemic has affected women severely as they account for the largest share of front-line health workers. Women also form a higher share of workers in insecure labour markets and are harder hit by the economic impacts of COVID-19. They are, therefore, disproportionately exposed to the coronavirus.

According to the UN, Covid 19 has also impacted supply chains around the world which has also affected the availability of contraceptives. It has also heightened the risk of unintended pregnancy.

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres said, “On this World Population Day, let us act to safeguard sexual and reproductive health care, protect the health and rights of women and girls, and end gender-based violence.  The pandemic has made our jobs much harder, but we must prevail.”

Facts about world population

  • The total population of the world is 7.7 billion

  • 61 percent of the global population lives in Asia (4.7 billion)

  • China (1.44 billion) and India (1.39 billion) representing 19 and 18 percent of the world’s population, respectively

  • India is projected to overtake China as the world’s most populous country around 2027,

  • The world population is expected to grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and 10.9 billion in 2100.

  • In the early 1970s, women had on average 4.5 children each; by 2015, total fertility for the world had fallen to below 2.5 children per woman.

  • Average global lifespans have risen, from 64.6 years in the early 1990s to 72.6 years in 2019.