Population Media Center Acts on World Population Day
Shelburne, VT (PRWEB) July 10, 2013 -- Population Media Center is calling on the international community to recognize the importance of World Population Day. Observed on July 11th each year, the annual event seeks to raise awareness of global population issues.
The focus of this year’s World Population Day is adolescent pregnancy. Every year, it is estimated that 16 million girls under age 18 give birth. These young mothers face a heightened maternal health risks, including death and disability. Often, their pregnancies stem from human rights violations such child marriage, inadequate education or sexual coercion.
“This World Population Day is, first and foremost, about ending the tragedy of young girls and women giving birth too early in life,” said PMC President Bill Ryerson. “But, it is also a reminder that global population continues to grow rapidly and unsustainably.”
The United Nations recently revised their World Population Prospects analysis upwards. Forecasts now suggest a global population of 9.6 billion in 2050 -- up from a previous estimate of 9.3 billion. The UN now believes that world population will hit nearly 11 billion people by 2100 – and still be growing by 10 million people per year.
Recent studies have linked rapidly growing human population to increased extinction risks to other species. Food scientists are worried that crop yields are falling behind in the race to feed a rapidly growing population.
“Ongoing rapid population growth is largely a sign that the global community has failed to provide adequate family planning services and information to the world’s neediest women, and this certainly includes adolescent girls,” said Ryerson.
Population Media Center, produces long-running fictional programs in developing countries to address many issues related to rapid population growth. Known as education entertainment, the story plot lines include educational content, which work on a variety of human rights objectives. These can include elevating the status of women, educating about the safety of contraception, and showing alternatives to dominant cultural norms like child marriage and adolescent pregnancy.
World Population Day was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989 to recognize the importance of global population passing 5 billion. Since that time, global population has increased beyond 7 billion.
POPULATION MEDIA CENTER (PMC)
Population Media Center (PMC) is a non-profit, international non-governmental organization, which strives to improve the health and well-being of people around the world through the use of entertainment-education strategies, like serialized dramas on radio and television, in which characters evolve into role models for the audience for positive behavior change. Founded in 1998, PMC has over a decade of field experience using the Sabido methodology of behavior change communications. PMC has produced or collaborated on programs which have aired in 45 countries worldwide. http://www.populationmedia.org
Joseph Bish, Population Media Center, http://www.populationmedia.org/, 1.607.354.4342, [email protected]
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