World Population Day

With today being World Population Day it's good news to hear that the U.K. government is to pledge to donate more than £1 billion to help family planning services in the developing world.

In a bid to help 24 million girls and women in the world's poorest countries, British aid will be doubled for eight years, International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell announced.

Reproductive health problems remain the leading cause of ill health and death for women of childbearing age worldwide. Some 222 million women who would like to avoid or delay pregnancy lack access to effective family planning. Nearly 800 women die every day in the process of giving life. About 1.8 billion young people are entering their reproductive years, often without the knowledge, skills and services they need to protect themselves.

As the world population reached 7 billion people this year (up from 2.5 billion in 1950), it has had profound implications for development. A world of 7 billion is a challenge with implications on sustainability, urbanization, access to health services and youth empowerment.