Eight billion people and counting more every second to the world population. Do we have enough to feed and sustain all those who are becoming part of the world? Does the world has enough resources for this growing number of people? These were a few of the challenges that the world looked at when in 1989, July 11 was observed as World Population Day. 

This was the purpose of the governing council of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)  decided to celebrate World Population Day.

Since then, many organizations commemorate the day in partnership with the government and society. In 1989, The world had a total population of 5 billion people, which is a whopping 8 billion now in 2022 and growing every next second.

This year’s theme for World Population Day is ‘A World of 8 Billion: Towards a Resilient Future for All – Harnessing Opportunists and Ensuring Rights and Choice for All.’

The main idea behind the emergence of World Population Day was to inform, educate and create awareness amongst people and lawmakers about high population issues and highlight the problems created by the over-population mismanagement by top bodies. This year world population will cross the 8 billion mark, and this is happening in just a decade. In 2011 world population was 7 billion people.

While the population issue has made an impact on every aspect, such as gender equality and poverty, and economic growth, World Population Day should not just be limited to the challenges, it should be a moment to celebrate human progress in many areas, The United Nations of Population Fund said in a statement.

But even after all the hard work going around the world, with various programs and campaigns running in numerous nations, still the population is increasing at a booming rate because of the industrialization and financial stability that developing countries possess now. Alone China and India combined have 37% of the world population.

“Reaching a global population of eight billion is a numerical landmark, but our focus must always be on people. In the world we strive to build, 8 billion people means 8 billion opportunities to live dignified and fulfilled lives,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

In 1974, United Nations issued the ‘WORLD POPULATION PLAN OF ACTION.’

The plan was introduced with an aim to promote development and improvement of quality of life requires the coordination of action in all major socio-economic fields including that of population, which is the inexhaustible source of creativity and a determining factor of progress.

Important key takeaways from the action plan:

Providing equal educational opportunities for the young of both sexes, and the extension of public forms of preschool education for the rising generation. The elimination of child labor and child abuse and the establishment of social security and old-age benefits. The establishment of an appropriate lower limit for age at marriage.