It is imperative to focus on the needs of , youth, and marginalised communities that remain inadequate owing to the rising population, said experts on World Population Day on Thursday. World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 to raise awareness about global population issues and their impact on society. The theme for this year is "Leave no one behind, count everyone".
ADVERTISEMENT With about 142.86 crore population, India overtook China to become the world's most populous nation, according to the UNFPA's State of the World Population Report in 2023. Speaking to IANS, Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director of the Population Foundation Of India (PFI), said even though India became the world's most populous nation, "we have attained the replacement-level fertility rate.
" "This means that the average number of children born per woman is sufficient to keep the population size stable from one generation to the next," she explained. Yet, due to a large proportion of young people, the population in India will continue to grow. "Nonetheless, we have made remarkable progress towards population stabilisation," Poonam said.
However, she called for a shift in focus -- on reaching the unreached, that is, the women, young people, and marginalised communities. "The reproductive rights, access to resources, and outcomes of these groups remain inadequate," Poonam said. There are approximately 24 million women with an unmet need for family planning, meaning they want to stop or dela.
