Islamabad, July 11, 2022 (PPI-OT):I am delighted that Pakistan and member countries of the UN are commemorating World Population Day, an annual event since 1989, to highlight the significance of population-related matters and issues. The theme of this year’s world population day “A world of 8 billion: Towards a resilient future for all – Harnessing opportunities and ensuring rights and choices for all” is pertinent as in November 2022, the world population will reach the 8 billion mark.

In order to promote sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development, the world needs to address the issues related to population, including poverty, health problems, illiteracy, and violation of human which is possible if we are able to narrow the gap between alarming disparities and biases in gender, age, origin, ethnicity, disability, class, and religion. We need to work together very closely to achieve agenda 2030 by anticipating and understanding the way our population is changing. This is possible if we develop unique responses based on data to mitigate potentially negative effects to fully harness the opportunities that also come with demographic change.

Pakistan has given top priority to the subject of population and its development. The Council of Common Interests has approved a set of eight recommendations and the National Action Plan (NAP) in consultation with the provincial and regional governments to address the matters related to population in the country inclusively. Our data suggests that almost half of the pregnancies in the country are unwanted due to the lack of access to contraceptives. The country is focusing on this issue and will be able to drastically curtail our increasing population in the short term, until demographic transition as seen throughout the world takes over.

I am hopeful that Pakistan will take every step possible to fulfil its international commitments and implement the CCI’s recommendations and the National Action Plan on population while taking all stakeholders and implementing partners on board. I am happy to note that Provincial and Regional governments, Civil Society Organizations and the private sector have joined hands with the Federal Government to advance the agenda of population and development in the country.

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