World Population Day 2023: Date, Theme, History, Significance, and Quotes

World Population Day, celebrated on July 11 each year, is a global initiative to raise awareness of the challenges of rapid population growth. Population growth has significant implications for the environment and development in general. By promoting awareness, this day sheds light on the consequences of overpopulation and encourages action to address these issues.

The main focus of World Population Day is to highlight various population-related concerns, including the importance of family planning, poverty alleviation, maternal health, gender equality, and human rights. Recognised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), this day provides an opportunity to recognise and celebrate progress in these areas.

Every year, various events and activities are scheduled, primarily at schools and universities, to raise awareness of the issues associated with the expanding population. These include seminar discussions, educational information sessions, and essay contests.

“It took hundreds of thousands of years for the world population to grow to one billion; then, it multiplied by seven in just another 200 years. In 2011, the world population reached the 7 billion mark, stands at nearly 7.9 billion in 2021, and is expected to grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and 10.9 billion in 2100, reports the UN.

World Population Day 2023: History and Significance

World Population Day was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Program in 1989, responding to the world population exceeding five billion. The importance of this day was further recognised by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on July 11, 1990, and has since been observed in more than 90 countries.

The main objective of World Population Day, which has been celebrated for more than three decades, is to raise public awareness about population control measures. It serves as a platform to draw attention to the challenges posed by population growth and its environmental impact.

By highlighting the consequences of population growth, World Population Day aims to encourage debate and action that addresses these issues. This day seeks to involve individuals, communities and governments in searching and implementing strategies to guarantee a balanced and sustainable future.

World Population Day 2023 Theme

According to United Nations, the theme for World Population Day 2023 is: Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities.

World Population Day 2023: Quotes

“When the family is small, whatever little they have, they can share. There is peace.” - Philip Njuguna.

“Population growth is the primary source of environmental damage.” -Jacques Yves Cousteau.

“Our human population continues to expand at such a scary rate - unbelievable.” - Bindi Irwin.

“Rapid population growth and technological innovation, combined with our lack of understanding of how the natural systems of which we are a part work, have created a mess.” - David Suzuki.

“Almost half of the world’s population lives in rural regions and mostly in poverty. Such inequalities in human development have been one of the primary reasons for unrest and, in some parts of the world, even violence.” - A P J Abdul Kalam.

“Food is something that is taken for granted by most world leaders even though more than half of the world’s population is hungry.” - Norman Borlaug.