-Dr. Natalia Kanem
World Population Day offers
a moment to celebrate human progress. Our world, despite its challenges, is one
where higher shares of people are educated and live healthier lives than at any
previous point in history. Societies that invest in their people, in their
rights and choices, have proven time and again that this is the road to the
prosperity and peace that everyone wants—and deserves.
Let’s keep this fact in
mind when, in the next few months, the total number of people in the world tops
8 billion. This milestone will attract much attention and debate, and likely
scaremongering over “too many” people. That would be a mistake.
Focusing only on population
numbers and growth rates often leads to coercive and counterproductive measures
and the erosion of human rights, for example, to women being pressured to have
children or prevented from doing so. It can deepen already
acute inequalities, such as through policies
shutting down reproductive health care or denying adequate pensions for the
elderly, further marginalizing the most disenfranchised.
The population
story is far richer and more nuanced than a single number can capture. There
may be more people in the world today, but equally important is the
unprecedented demographic diversity we see within the global population.
A growing
number of countries face population ageing, and roughly two-thirds of the
world’s population now live in a country or area with below-replacement
fertility, or fewer than 2.1 births per woman. Others have youthful and growing
populations. And more people are on the move, either by choice or driven by
crises ranging from conflict to climate change. Understanding these
shifts is critical to harnessing opportunities and mitigating potential
downsides.
People are the solution,
not the problem. At UNFPA, we advocate for measuring
and anticipating demographic changes. Each country should have the information
it requires to meet the needs of diverse population groups and ensure that
individuals can realize their full potential. When people have the power to
make informed choices about whether and when to have children, when they can
exercise their rights and responsibilities, they can navigate risks and become
the foundation of more inclusive, adaptable and sustainable societies.
Achieving this demographic
resilience starts with a commitment to counting not just numbers of people but
also opportunities for progress and barriers that stand in its way. This calls
for transforming discriminatory norms that hold individuals and societies back.
It leads us to economies that work for all people instead of just a few, and to
a fair use of resources so that we can mitigate risks and meet the needs of current
and future generations.
We are each much more than
a number, as is the human family. Numbers matter, but let’s count carefully. A
resilient world of 8 billion, a world that upholds individual rights and
choices, offers infinite possibilities – possibilities for people, societies
and our shared planet to thrive and prosper.
Dr.
Natalia Kanem is the Executive Director of United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA), the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency.
