World Population Day is an annual observance which occurs on 11 July and is used to raise attention to issues concerning global population, mainly the effects of overpopulation on the world, and that the current rate of population growth will not be able to be sustained into the future.
As of May 2021, the world population is 7.9 billion. World Population Day is focussing on the community, and this sentiment is stronger than ever as the world comes together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s World Population Day will be celebrated for the 27th time and will be hosted under the theme: “COVID-19 and Beyond”.
The COVID-19 crisis has caused tremendous damage to people, communities, and economies around the world. Yet not everyone is affected equally, and as we so often see, women and girls tend to suffer most.
With countries on lockdown and household tensions heightened, gender-based violence is on the rise, and sexual and reproductive health services are being side-lined by health systems struggling to cope with COVID-19.
The impact of COVID-19 will likely hamper global efforts to achieve three ‘zeros’ at the heart of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) - zero unmet need for contraception, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls - by 2030.
UNFPA’s projects, for example, are concerned that the pandemic will cut global progress towards ending gender-based violence within this decade by at least one third. Moreover, if mobility restrictions continue for at least 6 months with major disruptions to health services, 47 million women in low- and middle-income countries may be deprived of modern contraceptives, resulting in 7 million unintended pregnancies.
Attention should be given to the vulnerabilities and needs of women and girls during the COVID-19 crisis, and why protecting sexual and reproductive health and rights and ending the shadow pandemic of gender-based violence is imperative, especially in these challenging times.
Positive public messaging around gender equality and challenging gender stereotypes and harmful social norms can reduce the risk of violence. In this, men and boys can and must be key allies.
Sexual and reproductive health care is a right, and like pregnancies and childbirth, human rights do not stop for pandemics.
No organisation or country can do this alone. The pandemic is a stark reminder of the importance of global cooperation. The United Nations, which this year marks its 75th anniversary, was founded to foster international cooperation to solve international problems. As the global community comes together in solidarity to survive this pandemic, a foundation should be laid for more resilient, gender-equal societies and a healthier, more prosperous future for all.