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Despite comprising 49.7% of the global population, women and girls are frequently overlooked when discussing demographics, resulting in their rights being violated within population policies. We must advance gender equality to create a more just, resilient and sustainable world. When women and girls are empowered by societies to exert autonomy over their lives and bodies, they and their families thrive. On this World Population Day (11 July), let’s highlight the need to advance gender equality and uplift the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities!
Communities and societies are stronger and healthier when women and girls are empowered to choose if and when to build the families they want.
2023 Theme: Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities
What women and girls want matters.
They make up 49.7% of the global population, yet women and girls are often ignored in discussions on demographics, with their rights violated in population policies.
This pervasive injustice keeps women and girls out of school, the workforce and leadership positions; limits their agency and ability to make decisions about their health and sexual and reproductive lives; and heightens their vulnerability to violence, harmful practices and preventable maternal death, with a woman dying every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth.
We must advance gender equality to create a more just, resilient and sustainable world. The creativity, ingenuity, resources and power of women and girls are fundamental to addressing demographic and other challenges that threaten our future, including climate change and conflict.
When women and girls are empowered by societies to exert autonomy over their lives and bodies, they and their families thrive, as the UNFPA 2023 State of World Population report illustrates.
UNFPA brings its data, experience and stories to support women and girls around the world, and World Population Day gives us an opportunity to highlight the need to advance gender equality to help realize the dreams of all 8 billion of us on our planet.
Source: UN DESA and UN News