July 11 is World Population Day.
This year is particularly significant commemoration because on October 31, the world’s population is expected to reach 7 billion. Behind this number is a particularly disturbing figure that there are over 200 million women in the world who want access to contraception and family planning services but are unable to access them for one reason or another. This is referred to as the “unmet need” for family planning services and it can be a major barrier to the economic development of societies as well as an obstacle to the empowerment of women and girls worldwide.
I spoke with Director of Policy Initiatives, Women and Population Program at the United Nations Foundation Maureen Greenwood-Basken about the significance of the world’s population reaching 7 billion and what can be done to meet the unmet demand for family planning services worldwide. Have a listen to our conversation.
World Population Day Discussion with by UN Dispatch