Mohammadi News Agency News – Features – Photo
MNA Feature Desk: World Population day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues. The event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Program in 1989.
It was inspired by the public interest in Five Billion Day on July 11, 1987-approximately the date on which the world’s population reached five billion people. It encourages the activities, events and information to help make this right a reality throughout the world.
World Population Day aims at increase people’s awareness on various population issues such as the importance of family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights.
‘investing in teenage girls’
Teenage girls around the world face enormous challenges. Many are considered by their communities or parents to be ready for marriage and motherhood. Many are forced from school, damaging their future prospects.
Even among girls who stay in school, access to basic information about their health, human rights and reproductive rights can be hard to come by, leaving them vulnerable to illness, injury and exploitation.
UNFPA’s programs aim to end child marriage, curb adolescent pregnancy, and to empower girls to make informed choices about their health and lives. In 2015 alone, UNFPA programs helped 11.2 million girls between ages 10 and 19 gain accesses to sexual and reproductive health services and information.
“Leaders and communities must focus on and stand up for the human rights of the most marginalized teenage girls, particularly those who are poor, out of school, exploited, or subjected to harmful traditional practices, including child marriage,” UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin said.
“Marginalized girls are vulnerable to poor reproductive health and more likely to become mothers while still children themselves. They have a right to understand and control their own bodies and shape their own lives.
World Population Day in Bangladesh
The World Population Day also observed in the country as elsewhere across the globe on Monday. The theme of this year’s day is ‘investing in teenage girls’.
Various organizations have chalked out elaborate programmers to observe the day. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages on the occasion.
In his message, the President underscored the need for creating massive awareness to protect teenage girls from all social menaces, including early marriage. He also urged all concerned to come forward to build a beautiful and safe planet for the new and future generation.
The Prime Minister, in her message, urged all concerned to ensure the best use of all establishments set up at grassroots level to provide family planning, mother-child and reproductive health services in order to build a healthy nation.
