United Nations calls for more support for fertility and women. The appeal is made in a report by the UN Population Fund, which is presented this Wednesday. The document indicates that, although there is a greater tendency for governments to adopt birth policies, these policies often endanger the rights of women.
The UN also understands that, rather than creating concerns, the world population mark of eight billion people should be seen as an opportunity.
In the report released this Wednesday, the United Nations Population Fund recommends that governments institute gender equality and rights policies, such as parental leave programs, tax incentives for those who have children and universal access to health and sexual rights and reproductive.
The United Nations believes that these policies offer a proven formula that will reap economic dividends and lead to resilient societies capable of thriving no matter how populations change.
Here’s what’s at stake: With birth control policies, are women free to make their own reproductive decisions? The answer is no, says the UN.
The document notes that 44 percent of women and girls in 68 countries do not have the right to make informed decisions about their bodies when it comes to having sex, using contraception, and seeking medical care. Additionally, 257 million women around the world have an unmet need for safe and reliable contraception.
“Eight billion lives, infinite possibilities.” This is the motto of the report on the state of world population. The UN stresses “globalized anxiety” over the fact that there are more and more people in the world, but says that the rulers are asking the wrong question.
The report also highlights the fact that global demographics are changing dramatically: two-thirds of people live in contexts of low fertility, while eight countries are responsible for half of the world’s projected population growth by 2050: India, Pakistan, and Philippines, in Asia and the remaining five in Africa.
Another idea highlighted in the paper is that it makes no sense to blame fertility for climate change: more than half of the world’s population does not earn enough to contribute significantly to carbon emissions.
In addition, the UN indicates, greater gender parity in the workforce would do more to sustain economies in aging societies with low fertility than setting targets for women to have more children.
Source: TSF
