“ A world of 7 billion is both a challenge and an opportunity
with implications on sustainability, urbanization, access to health services
and youth empowerment” said Sandeep Marwah President of World Peace Development
And Research Foundation and Ambassador of International Human Rights
Organization affiliated to United Nation and International Bar Association.
In 1989, in its decision 89/46, the Governing Council of the
United Nations Development Programme recommended that, in order to focus
attention on the urgency and importance of population issues in the context of
overall development plans and programmes and the need to find solutions for
these issues, 11 July should be observed by the international community as
World Population Day.
About 16 million girls under age 18 give birth each year.
Another 3.2 million undergo unsafe abortions. The vast majority – 90 per cent
-- of the pregnant adolescents in the developing world are married. But for far
too many of these girls, pregnancy has little to do with informed choice. Often
it is a consequence of discrimination, rights violations (including child
marriage), inadequate education or sexual coercion.
On 2013 World Population Day, we raise awareness of the issue of
adolescent pregnancy in the hopes of delivering a world where every pregnancy
is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is
fulfilled.
