‘Unleashing Power of Gender Equality’: Women and girls take center stage on World Population Day 2023

Team Udayavani, Jul 11, 2023, 9:49 AM IST

On this World Population Day, the global community comes together to celebrate the immense potential of gender equality and uplift the voices of women and girls worldwide. With the theme “Unleashing the Power of Gender Equality: Uplifting the Voices of Women and Girls to Unlock Our World’s Infinite Possibilities,” this year’s observance sheds light on the urgent need to address the persistent disparities faced by women and girls in society.

Despite constituting 49.7% of the global population, women and girls have often been marginalized and overlooked in discussions on demographics and population policies. Their fundamental rights have been violated, impeding their access to education, employment, and leadership positions.

This injustice restricts women’s agency, hampers their ability to make decisions regarding their health, and subjects them to violence and preventable maternal mortality. Shockingly, a woman dies every two minutes due to complications related to pregnancy or childbirth.

Startling Facts:

According to UNFPA 2023 State of World Population Report:

• “More than 40 percent of women around the world cannot make decisions on sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.
• As few as one in four women across low- and middle-income countries are realizing their desired fertility.
• A woman dies every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth (and in conflict settings, the number of deaths is twice as high).
• Nearly one-third of women have experienced intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both.
• Just six countries have 50 percent or more women in parliament.
• More than two-thirds of the 800 million people globally who cannot read are women.”

Gender Equality for sustainable world

Gender equality is not only a matter of justice but also a prerequisite for a just, resilient, and sustainable world. Women and girls possess untapped creativity, ingenuity, and power that are essential for addressing the pressing challenges of our time, including climate change and conflict.

The recently released UNFPA 2023 State of World Population report underscores the transformative impact that empowering women and girls can have on societies and families.

Harnessing the data, expertise, and compelling stories at its disposal, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) stands as a staunch advocate for women and girls across the globe. World Population Day serves as an opportunity to highlight the imperative of advancing gender equality to fulfill the aspirations of all 8 billion individuals inhabiting our planet.

World population trends

At the same time, examining world population trends reveals the remarkable pace at which the global community has grown. It took hundreds of thousands of years for the population to reach 1 billion, yet within a mere 200 years, that figure expanded sevenfold. As of 2021, the global population stands at nearly 7.9 billion, projected to reach around 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion by 2050, and 10.9 billion by 2100.

This extraordinary growth has primarily been driven by increased survival rates to reproductive age, accompanied by significant shifts in fertility rates, urbanization, and migration. Such trends carry profound implications for future generations.

Over the past few decades, fertility rates and life expectancy have witnessed remarkable changes. In the early 1970s, women had an average of 4.5 children each, but by 2015, the global fertility rate had dropped to below 2.5 children per woman. Meanwhile, average lifespans worldwide have risen, with an increase from 64.6 years in the early 1990s to 72.6 years in 2019.

Additionally, urbanization and migration have reached unprecedented levels. Since 2007, more people have been residing in urban areas than in rural regions, and by 2050, it is projected that approximately 66% of the global population will live in cities.

Consequences

These megatrends carry far-reaching consequences, shaping various aspects of economic development, employment, income distribution, poverty alleviation, and social protections. Moreover, they significantly impact endeavors to ensure universal access to healthcare, education, housing, sanitation, water, food, and energy.

Policymakers must comprehend the size, location, age, and future population projections to effectively address the diverse needs of individuals and develop sustainable solutions.

Achieving gender equality is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic choice. By embracing the full potential of women and girls, we unlock infinite possibilities for a brighter and more prosperous future for all. It is time to amplify their voices, uplift their rights, and work together to create a world that respects and harnesses the power of gender equality.

As we celebrate World Population Day, let us commit to ensuring that what women and girls want truly matters, as their dreams, aspirations, and contributions hold the key to unlocking a better world for us all.