Challenges, Opportunities and Action in a World of 7 Billion
On the 15th
of November, Le Grande Plaza Hotel in Tashkent hosted a
presentation of the UNFPA's State of the World Population Report
2011. This event was held in order to recognise that the world’s
population has reached seven billion, a moment which was celebrated
around the world in October. The presentation was jointly organised
by the United Nations Population Fund in Uzbekistan (UNFPA) and the
United Nations Information Center in Tashkent (UNIC).
Representatives of different ministries, agencies, research
institutes and media organisations, along with prominent public
figures, attended the presentation.
The presentation’s opening remarks were provided by the UNFPA Representative in Uzbekistan, Mr. Karl Kulessa. He noted that the world’s population has recently exceeded seven billion people, and that the UNFPA considers this landmark to be a problem, an opportunity and a call to action. He stated that observing the populations of countries, along with related initiatives, may be a valuable enterprise in understanding Uzbekistan’s own situation. “Uzbekistan has the largest population among Central Asian states, over 28 million people, according to the latest national data,” Mr. Kulessa said. “Young people comprise a majority of the country’s population. External migration and urbanisation has also had a significant influence on national population trends. These and a number of other factors must be taken into consideration when designing national socio-economic development strategies for Uzbekistan. UNFPA has been supporting its national partners, while promoting a better understanding of the links between population and development in Uzbekistan, and we stand ready to continue this cooperation.”
Lyudmila Maksakova, a leading researcher at the Institute of Economics under the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, made further comments regarding the report.
The words of UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Badatunde Ostimehin in the forward of the report, entitled
‘People and Possibilities in a World of Seven Billion’, highlights how the globe’s growing population can, with appropriate effort, be extremely beneficial. “With necessary planning and the right investments, people can be empowered to make choices that are not only good for themselves, but also for the whole world,” he said. “Our world of seven billion can have thriving sustainable cities, productive labour forces that fuel economies and youth populations that contribute to the well-being of their societies.”
The global population has doubled since 1968, and has grown by almost 40% since reaching five billion in 1987. This original landmark, which occurred 24 years ago, was recognised on the first World Population Day. The UN Population Division predicts that population growth will continue until the mid-century, despite dramatic declines in fertility rates (the average number of children a woman is likely to have during her lifetime).
It is true that individual decisions can effect global population growth, meaning the fact that some 215 million women in developing countries lack access to effective family planning is one of significant concern. Work undertaken to ensure that every child is wanted and every childbirth is safe will lead to smaller and stronger families, and better opportunities for women.
People under 25 make up 43% of the world’s population, but this percentage increases to 60% in the world’s least-developed countries. When young people possess their right to health, education and decent working conditions, they can become a powerful force for economic development and positive change.
The planet’s record population size can be considered a success for humanity, because it means that people are living longer and infant mortality is reducing. However not everyone has benefited from this achievement, or the higher quality of life that it implies, because great disparities still exist among and within countries. Gender inequality, in regards to rights and opportunities, is still a concern. It is now more important than ever to chart a path to development that promotes equality, rather than one that exacerbates or reinforces inequalities.
The report calls the seven billion milestone a “challenge, an opportunity and a call to action.” Along with its launch in Tashkent, the report has also been unveiled in more than 100 other cities worldwide.
“Today’s milestone is a reminder that we must act now,” said Dr. Ostimehin in the report’s forward. He then stated that both the Programme of Action of the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development, and its call to enable individuals to be empowered to make their own reproductive decisions, remain the best guides for future activity.
The State of World Population 2011 is considered mainly a field report. It is a document in which demographers, policymakers, and representatives of the government, civil society and the greater public can grapple with a variety of population trends. These trends range from ageing of populations to the increasing numbers of young people, from high population growth rates to shrinking populations, and from high rates of urbanization to rising international migration. The countries featured in this report include China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, India, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
The presentation resulted in a wide of interest among guests and participants. It was further enhanced by intensive discussion and remarks after its completion.
Ms. Gulnora Yulchieva, the Deputy Head of the Republican Funds ‘Mahallas’, made the following comments:
“The report that was presented today has a very important and relevant meaning. The demographic issue is indeed on the table all over the world, and this issue directly relates to economic, social and political questions. In this regard, it is important to devote more attention to the social protection of populations by creating possibilities for education and employment, while assuring favourable living conditions,” Ms. Gulnora Yulchieva said. “The issue of social protection is crucial for Uzbekistan. Activities in regards to this direction are supported by an array of laws, and decrees of both the President of Uzbekistan and the Cabinet of Ministers. For instance, while more than a half of Uzbekistan’s population are youth, considerable efforts have been made to ensure the social and economic protection of these individuals. Issues related to the provision of universal education for every child, and to the improvement of employment assistance, have been discussed to the highest degree. It is important to remember the unique element of the ‘Mahalla’, a social system which guarantees that not a single family in Uzbekistan will miss the attention they require.”
The launch of The State of World Population Report in Uzbekistan precedes the two-day conference ‘Population of Uzbekistan: 20 Years of Independent Development’, which will take place from the 16th to the 17th of November 2011. This conference has been organised by the UNFPA in partnership with Uzbekistan’s Institute of Economics of Academy of Science and Institute for Macroeconomic Forecasting and Research. This conference will gather together demography experts and the representatives of government institutions, academia and public organisations from all over Uzbekistan, in order to review and discuss the country’s current demographic trends and prospects.
The UN Population Fund has worked in Uzbekistan since 1993, and is currently implementing its third Country Programme (2010-2015). Within its component which targets population and development issues, the fund has assisted Uzbekistan in improving the government’s capacities at central and local levels, specifically in regards to the collection, analysis and use of population data in regards to the formulation of socio-economic development strategies.
The Report is accessible at the following website: www.unfpa.org/swp/
For more information, please contact:
Aziza Askarova, UNFPA, Tel: (998 71) 120 6899, 281 5881/83, askarova@unfpa.org
Bobir Komilov, UN Information Center, Tel: (998 71) 120 3450, ext 122, bobir.komilov@undp.org