One of the biggest challenges that we are facing still now is the rise of world population. World population day is annually celebrated on July 11. The main purpose this is to bring awareness about the rising population issues and how to tackle these issues. Population issues includes family planning, gender equality, child marriage, human rights, right to health, baby’s health, etc. World Population Day was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989. It was inspired by the public interest in Five Billion Day, the approximate date on which the world’s population reached five billion people on July 11, 1987.

Every year there is a specific theme for World Population Day and the theme of World Population Day 2021 is “Rights and choices are the answer: Whether baby boom or bust, the solution to shifting fertility rates lies in prioritizing the reproductive health and rights of all people.”

US, India and China are the top three countries that have the largest population count. The size of a nation’s population has a major impact on its development and operations. Population growth has always been a concern. The number of human beings is increasing every year, but the resources that sustain human life are still unable to regenerate. The growth rate has also been increasing rapidly. Put this fact in perspective: the population broke the 2 billion marks in 1927. By 1999, the population was recorded as 6 billion. Therefore, the population growth rate has increased significantly year by year. It is very urgent to control the population. It causes some irreparable damage to the environment and atmosphere. A large number of people means the rapid and unfair consumption of environmental resources. Natural resources such as land, water, and air are limited. They cannot be manually produced. The rapid consumption of these resources has caused huge losses.

According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres,” Sustainable Development 2030 agenda is the world’s blueprint for a better future for all on a healthy planet. On World Population Day we recognise that this mission is closely interrelated with demographic trends including population growth, aging, migration, and urbanisation”.

The Population Division works closely with agencies, programs, funds and bodies of the UN system in order to execute work program on population. Activities organized on this day include seminars, discussions, educational meetings, open competitions, slogans, workshops, debates, songs, etc. Not only that, even TV channels, news channels, and radio programs broadcast various programs related to the importance of population and family planning. Demographic issues also create tensions in society: there are more heinous crimes committed in the field of gender inequality and human rights than ever before, especially in developing countries.

The government of each country must formulate effective policies and plans to control the growing population. Without immediate control, the ever-increasing world population will lead to some unbearable situations. Policies such as family planning and use of birth control should be implemented on a large-scale basis.