WORLD POPULATION DAY

The most recent world population studies conducted by the United States Census Bureau (USCB) estimates the world population at a staggering 7.014 billion as on March 2012. The reports at the United Nations Population Fund suggest that world population crossed a milestone on 31st October, 2011. Growing population is a cause of major concerns because a world which is getting continuously crowded will have great repercussion on natural resources which sustain all living organisms. Unrestrained growth in population has already started exhibiting telling effects on the world natural resources which are gradually receding at a fast depletion rate. To make the general masses aware to the hazard of such a situation the Council of the United Nations Development Program recommended in 1989 following its decision 89/46 to observe 11th July as "World Population Day".

The primary concern with observing a day entirely as World Population Day was to center attention on the immediacy and consequence of population issues in the context of overall development plans and programs and the need to find solutions for these issues of the effects of growing population. The greatest identifiable threat caused due to over population is the alarmingly fast depletion of natural resources and threat to sustainability. But albeit being a threat to life itself, the World Population is also an opportunity to celebrate the spirit of brotherhood and to realize the responsibility we have towards another in this great big world we call our family. The sentiment is echoed in the following excerpt from the world message delivered by Ban-Ki-Moon, secretary general of the United Nations at the World Population Day celebration on the 11th of July, 2011... "This year's World Population Day falls during a milestone year, when we anticipate the birth of the Earth's seven billionth inhabitant. This is an opportunity to celebrate our common humanity and our diversity. It is also a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for each other and our planet."

The Population Division works closely with the agencies, funds, programs and bodies of the United Nations system in the execution of the work program on population and in the follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development. United Nations missions, national Government offices, United Nations offices, researchers, media representatives and the public regularly confer with the Population Division regarding population estimates and projections, and information and analyses on population and development issues.

People worldwide celebrate the day variously. Most UNFPA Country Offices have ear-marked the day for day long celebrations including events like poster or essay contests, or sports events concerts to actualize awareness to the cause. The year 2011, when the world population crossed the 7 Billion milestone mark the UNFPA and partners launched the 7 Billion Actions-aimed to involve people and spur commitment and spark actions related to the opportunities and challenges presented by a world of 7 billion people.

World Population as a phenomenon began to be identified following the unprecedented decrease in mortality that accelerated in the more developed parts of the world. Though bearing the positivity of life-expectancy in the 21st century this major achievement saw the escalation of life-duration at birth from 30 to 67 years between 1800 and 2005, leading to a rapid boom in population: from 1 billion in 1810 to nearly 7 billion in 2010.