HOL Doctors, HOL MAG

World Population Day 2020 – Improving Health and Empowering Women

Too much of anything is not good for health, and the same applies to our planet Earth where population is concerned. A population is defined as being the number of organisms of the same species living in a particular area with the capability to interbreed

On July, 11th every year is an event in an attempt to increase awareness about issues regarding global population and that event is observed by the name of known as World Population Day and every year it is celebrated with a specific theme.

The theme this year is based on safeguarding the health and rights of women and girls around the world especially during the time of COVID-19 pandemic.

As of July 2020, according to the world-meters website, the world population has hit an all-time high at 7.8 Billion people. And with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the number is expected to rise due to unplanned pregnancies.

During the pandemic, with unemployment on the rise, women’s health and well-being are on the line, not just from the corona virus but also from the increase in gender-based violence.

If the lockdown continues for 6 months, and there is major disruption to health services, then 47 million women in low and middle-income countries might not have access to modern contraceptives. This would in turn lead to 7 million unintended pregnancies. Apart from that, it could see a rise in gender-based violence, female genital mutilation and child marriages. Millions of women, globally, are still not given access to safe and effective family planning methods.

Improving women’s rights can be a powerful tool to tackle unsustainable population growth:

  • In both the developing and industrialized world, women with more education have fewer children
  • Access to safe family planning options not only allows women to become more economically productive but would also result in a 75% decline in unintended pregnancies, unplanned births and induced abortions in developing regions
  • Access to contraception and information about family planning are vital components of gender equality
  • Awareness about the sexual and reproductive health needs and vulnerabilities of women and girls during the pandemic by sharing statistics and guidelines online in order to provide information and increase general knowledge about these issues.
  • Gender equality and women’s empowerment depend on it. Furthermore, it is a key factor in reducing poverty.