*Osotimehin, UNFPA Ex. Dir., proffers solutions

BY VICTORIA OJEME

The world population has grown tremendously over the past two thousand years. In 1999, the world population passed the six billion mark.

Official world population estimate, for mid year 2010, was estimated at  6,852,472,823.
The chart below shows past world population data back to the year one and future world population projections through the year 2050.

Globally, population has doubled since 1968 and grown by almost 40 per cent since reaching 5 billion in 1987, an event that led to the first World Population Day. Growth will continue at least until mid century despite dramatic declines in the average number of children per woman, according to the UN Population Division.

Nearly all of this population growth–97 of every 100 people–is occurring in less developed countries, some of which already struggle to meet their citizens’ needs. Gaps between rich and poor are growing. Urbanization and migration continue.

Climate change is of increasing concern and more people than ever are vulnerable to food insecurity, water shortages and weather related disasters. Meanwhile, many rich and middle income countries are concerned about low fertility and ageing.

“Whether we can live together on a healthy planet will depend on the decisions we make now. The date we reach the next billion–and the ones after that–depends on policy and funding decisions made now about maternal and child health care, access to voluntary family planning, girls’ education, and expanded opportunities for women and young people”, said United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin.

These pressing human concerns are the transnational issues that call for concerted actions, Dr. Osotimehin added. “As more and more people share our planet, new challenges will arise. Solving existing challenges while protecting the human rights of all will become increasingly more urgent.”

Individual decisions determine global population growth. However, some 215 million women in developing countries lack access to effective family planning.  Working to ensure that every child is wanted and every child birth is safe will lead to smaller and stronger families and more opportunities for women.

People under 25 make up 43 per cent of the world’s population, but the percentage reaches 60 per cent in the least developed countries. When young people can claim their right to health, education and decent working conditions, they become a powerful force for economic development and positive change.

“We have an opportunity and responsibility to invest in adolescents and youth,” Dr. Osotimehin said, adding “With the right policies, investments and social support, young people can enjoy healthier lives free of poverty and enhance prospects for peace and stability.”

Managing Director, Society for Family Health Mr. Bright Ekwerenmadu expressed concern at the growth of the World Population.

Mr Ekwerenmadu who spoke to Sunday Vanguard in a telephone interview said that there is no arrangement for policy on ground on the side of the federal government to enforce a law on a number of children per couple.
He advised parents to go on family planning to avoid high number of children: “We need to promote advocacy for child spacing, because family planning is a voluntary process you don’t force people to do it. More importantly contraceptives and family planning is the best solution to reducing or maintaining steady population”.

In Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, the population burst may not be easily recognized in the urbane part of the city but in places like Nyannyan, Karu, Maraba, Kuje and Kubwa, the steady population explosion is better imagined.

Because of the accommodation challenges in the FCT, copulation is not a matter looked upon using the lenses of morality.  Young men and women easily share apartments and in the process anything happens.  But for the suburbs of the FCT, the population crises confronting residents are better imagined because of the lack of birth control mechanisms.

Therefore, when Dr. Osotimehin referred to the fact that “with the right policies, investments and social support, young people can enjoy healthier lives free of poverty and enhance prospects for peace and stability,” he had a group of people in mind.

As the world welcomed the 7,000,000,000th (seven billionth) human, it is hoped that sustaining the population would not be an explosive problem in the not too distant future.