On 11 July the whole world marks World Population Day. This year on World Population Day, the focus is on young people
While commenting on World Population Day focus on young people, the UNFPA Coordinator in Belarus Tatiana Haplichnik said, “This day is neither New Year eve nor birthday – the holidays which everybody is attached to, looks forward to and celebrates in the family circle. This is a day which accumulates the past year problems and sharpens the long-standing issues that are yet to be responded to. This year focuses on values of the youth”.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition, the “youth” category covers the group of people aged 15 to 24. This is the most active age in terms of shaping young people’s personality, civil position, social status, family values and career plans. Moreover, the youth are the most active and numerous demographic group in the world. According to the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) data, today nearly half of the world’s population – more than 3 billion people – are under the age of 25. They represent the largest cohort of young people in human history. As of 1 January 2006, the number of young people in Belarus totaled 2,338 million (23 per cent of the whole population).
Yet today the increase in the youth number is accompanied with rising and aggravating of social problems and worsening of young people’s health. According to the UNFPA survey results, 19,6 percent of young Belarusians have tried narcotics or toxic substances, 60,3 percent consume hard liquors with different frequency level, 41,5 per cent smoke. As a result, in spite of the general decrease of Belarus population death rate, the number of chronic diseases and suicide cases among young people has risen.
Thus, the goal of the World Population Day focusing on young people is to confirm the commitment of government bodies and public organizations to help, promote and improve health, well-being and positive activities of youth. On World Population Day, let us focus on young people and seek new ways to work side-by-side as partners in development.
One of the directions on the way to reach this goal in Belarus has taken form of youth health centers opened all over the country, including regions and districts. The centers mission is to carry out real activities, not just in words and images, aimed at improving young people’s health. Specially trained doctors and psychologists work at the centers. Teaching specialists and youth organizations cooperate with them too. A complex young people work training programme for physicians was presented on 27-29 June 2006 in Minsk at the international seminar which gathered representatives of UNFPA offices from 16 countries. The programme will soon be tested in the CIS countries, including Belarus.
“We recognize that investments in young people promote social and economic growth. Although it is often said that young people are the future, it is also true that young people are the present and their leadership should be supported today”, UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Abaid stated on the occasion of World Population Day.
Short reference: UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA focuses mainly on the needs of concrete men and women rather than abstract demographic goals. In particular, it deals with the issues of safe motherhood, protection of reproductive health of adolescents and youth, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, voluntary family planning, prevention of barrenness, development of decent and respective attitude to every adolescent girl and woman. UNFPA was established in 1969. It started its activities in Belarus in 1994.
For additional information please contact Natalia Gromadskikh at 294 31 92.
