New Delhi: It is imperative to focus on the needs of women, youth, and marginalised communities that remain inadequate owing to the rising population, said experts on World Population Day.
World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 to raise awareness about global population issues and their impact on society. The theme for this year is "Leave no one behind, count everyone".
Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director of the Population Foundation of India (PFI), said even though India became the world's most populous nation, "we have attained the replacement-level fertility rate."
"This means that the average number of children born per woman is sufficient to keep the population size stable from one generation to the next," she explained.
There are approximately 24 million women with an unmet need for family planning, meaning they want to stop or delay childbearing but lack the access or agency to use contraception.
Overpopulation can also worsen health care indices like morbidity and mortality as preventive and screening health care needs of the population (especially the vulnerable sections like women, children, and elderly) are not adequately met.
