Youth representatives from many parts of Thailand taking part in World Population Day 2006 in Bangkok (Photo courtesy of UNFPA, Bangkok)

World Population Day : Call to invest in 3 billion young people

From its Headquarters in New York to hotspot frontlines like Afghanistan, the United Nations marked World Population Day on 11 July with the focus on the more than 3 billion young who represent nearly half of Earth’s people, calling to answer their demand to narrow the gap between rich and poor.
“There is a clear need to answer their call”, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a special message. “After all, providing for youth is not just a moral obligation, it is a compelling economic necessity. Study after study has shown the benefits – to the young and to their communities – of investing in education, reproductive health, job skills and employment opportunities for young people.

“Such returns are especially great in the case of girls. Healthy, educated and informed young women are better prepared to participate fully in society and contribute to the life of their communities”, he added citing the “particularly important” role of sexual and reproductive health information and services in the global fight against AIDS and in allowing the young to make better decisions about starting families.
The Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, stressed that millions of young people today were threatened by poverty, illiteracy, risks of pregnancy and childbirth, and HIV/AIDS.
“Today, more than 500 million people aged 15 to 24 live on less than USD 2 per day; 96 million young women in developing countries do not know how to read or write; and 14 million adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 become mothers every year. Every day, 6,000 young people are infected with HIV.
“These challenges lie at the heart of goals set by world leaders to reduce poverty and improve health and well-being. It is clear that the Millennium Development Goals will not be met unless young people are actively involved in policy-making and programming, their voices are heard, their needs are met and their human rights respected”, Ms. Obaid said. “UNFPA champions young people’s right to education, health and employment”.
Around the world, UNFPA Country Offices joined hands to mark the event in their respective regions. In Thailand, a youth forum was organized in collaboration with the Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health and the College of Public Health, Chulalongkorn University at the College of Public Health on the topic of “Being Young is Tough”.
Youth representatives from many parts of the country – from the northern hilltribes to the violence-ridden southern provinces and the slum communities in Bangkok – were invited to share their views on the unique challenges they are facing, contributing to lively discussions on topics such as unwanted pregnancy; gender inequity; conflicts and differences; and competition, drugs and misdeeds.
Highlighting young people’s energy, ideas and potential in making a difference, edutainment activities – games, freedom of expression board, exhibition” and street theatre – were also organized and performed by youth groups at the forum venue and around the trendy Siam Square area.