World Population Day

Family planning is an important topic raised during World Population Day. Illustration based on artwork from ©iStockphoto.com/Julien Bastide

What do people do?

On July 11, 2008, people around the world will observe the 19th World Population Day in different ways. This event hopes to build an awareness of the importance of family planning with regard to many development issues, including gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights.

The day will be celebrated worldwide by business groups, community organizations and individuals in many ways. Activities include: inviting local celebrities to spread the message; organizing events to promote the importance of family planning; seminar discussions, conferences and debates, as well as essay and poster contests on the topic of family planning; and plays and soap operas hosted by community groups.  The UN encourages individuals to utilize the event by speaking or writing about the impact of family planning in their own lives.

Public life

World Population Day is not a public holiday so public life is not affected.

Background

In 1968 world leaders proclaimed that individuals had a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and timing of their children. About 40 years later modern contraception remains out of reach for millions of women, men and young people. World Population Day was instituted in 1989 as an outgrowth of the Day of Five Billion, marked on July 11, 1987. The UN authorized the event as a vehicle to build an awareness of population issues and the impact they have on development and the environment.

Since then, with the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA) encouragement, governments, non-governmental organizations, institutions and individuals organize various educational activities to celebrate the annual event.

Symbols

The UN logo is often associated with marketing and promotional material for this event. It features a projection of a world map (less Antarctica) centered on the North Pole, enclosed by olive branches. The olive branches symbolize peace and the world map represents all the people of the world. It has been featured in colors such as blue against a yellow background.

The UN logo is linked with the words “UNFPA”, written in white and placed in the middle of an orange circle, for promotional material for World Population Day. The colors used to promote the event in 2008 are lighter and darker shades of orange, as well as dark gray.

World Population Day Observances

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