Each year, on 11 July, World Population Day focuses attention on the urgency and importance of population and reproductive health issues. This year, the theme of the World Population Day is “Vulnerable Populations in Emergencies”.
Women, children and young people comprise over three quarters of the over 60 million people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes by conflict and disasters in most parts of the world. Girls and women in crisis situations face much greater risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, violence, forced marriage, reproductive health-related illnesses, and death due to the lack of protection and an absence of aid delivery to address their needs.
In protracted crises and many early recovery contexts, there is a lack of access to basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric services and family planning; services to treat survivors of gender-based violence are scant or non-existent; and care for and prevention of sexually transmitted infections is limited. It is no coincidence that, of the 10 countries with the highest maternal death rates in the world, eight are also affected by insecurity and conflict.
That's why the theme of the World Population Day, "Vulnerable Populations in Emergencies", is intended to highlight the special needs of women and adolescent girls during conflicts and humanitarian disasters.
In Turkmenistan, UNFPA will observe the World Population Day by organizing a Round-table entitled "Placing women and young people at the center of Humanitarian Action" with participation of high-level policy-decision makers.
“When a crisis strikes, humanitarian response must be swift and adaptable to the needs of affected populations. Women and young people may especially require targeted support, and aid must be sustained from the onset of an emergency until recovery.”
Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin
UNFPA Executive Director
UNFPA Executive Director's Statement on World Population Day 2015 - English
UNFPA Executive Director's Statement on World Population Day 2015 - Russian
UN Secretary-General's Statement on World Population Day 2015 - English
UN Secretary-General's Statement on World Population Day 2015 - Russian
