Whenever we talk about overpopulation, the first country that instantly comes to our mind is India. According to the United States Census Bureau, the total world population is 7.6B of which, China stands first amongst the overpopulated countries with 1.4B people, followed by India, which stands second with a population of 1.3B people, followed by the United States, Indonesia, Pakistan and so on. Therefore, every year on the 11th July, World Population Day is celebrated across countries in order to bring awareness about the population issues. Some of the population issues include:
- Family planning
- Human rights
- Right to health
- Baby’s health
- Gender equality
- Maternal health, etc.
The United Nations states, “World Population Day, which seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, was established by the then-Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987”.
The Theme Of 2020
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), this year’s theme of World Population Day is “Putting the brakes on COVID-19: how to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls now”. The specific themes and angles as stated by them include:
- The overall UNFPA response to COVID-19
- The impact of COVID-19 on the “Three Zeros” (zero unmet need for contraception; zero preventable maternal deaths; and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices)
- Adolescents and youth
- Challenges for women and girls in humanitarian settings
- Maternal health
- How COVID-19 affects older people
Causes And Effects:
Apart from this, when we talk about overpopulation, there are certain causes we need to understand and its effects.
Causes:
- Lack of family planning
- Poverty
- Poor use of contraceptives
- Reduced mortality rates due to medical advancements
- Advancement infertility treatment
- Immigration
Effects:
- Depletion of natural, non-renewable resources
- Shortage of food and water, leading to starvation and malnourishment
- Damage to the environment, leading to climate change
- Rising unemployment
- Intensive farming
The biggest effect that we are witnessing today is the faster spread of airborne diseases, like COVID-19. Overcrowded living conditions have led to higher chances of pandemics and epidemics around the world.
Thus, it is important to talk and create awareness about such issues on a mass level. The best solution will be a better education system and making people understand the importance of family planning and sex education in our country. Changes in the policy are also required, along with easier access to contraceptives, in order to deal with unwanted pregnancies.
