Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, the new Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, has put forth his vision as the Fund’s leader, focusing on the challenges of a world that will be (or has) reaching a population of 7 billion in 2011 and the needs of the largest generation of young people ever in history.
In his first address to the UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board on Tuesday, 1 February 2011, Dr. Osotimehin described a world population of 7 billion in 2011 as “a major milestone in human history,” where “every person should enjoy human rights and human dignity, and have the opportunity to make the most of his or her potential.”
Dr. Osotimehin, who has just embarked on his four-year tenure as UNFPA’s Executive Director, noted that the world's population, which since 1967 has doubled, is rising by about 78 million people each year, and is projected to reach 9 billion by 2045. For every 100 people added to the world’s population, he noted, 97 are in the less developed countries.
“A world approaching a population of 7 billion is marked by new dynamics to which UNFPA must support countries to respond,” said Dr. Osotimehin. While rapid urban growth is putting pressure on Africa and Asia’s cities, declining fertility and unprecedented ageing stands at stark contrast with Africa’s continuously high birth rates, and the world’s largest youth population.
“UNFPA will place a special emphasis on today’s large generation of young people,” said Dr. Osotimehin. There are an estimated 1.8 billion adolescents and youth in the world today, accounting for nearly a third of the world's population, he noted. Just below 90 per cent live in developing countries and that proportion will increase during the next 20 years. “They need increased support, and they want freedom, participation and dignity,” he added.
“Investing in youth, their reproductive health and gender equality can help put countries on a path to accelerated economic growth and equitable development,” said Dr. Osotimehin. “This is the message that I will carry forward to Istanbul in May for the Fourth United Nations Conference of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs).” He added that UNFPA will work with development partners to mobilize support for LDCs to increase investment in young people.
The UNFPA Representative in Tanzania, Dr. Julitta Onabanjo, echoed Dr. Osotimehin’s need to focus on young people, highlighting that young people are critical change agents in their communities and countries. UNFPA in the context of the UN Delivering as One in Tanzania is committed to supporting young people in all aspects of their lives and especially in promoting their health, protecting them from gender based violence and advancing their education and engagement in national development.
“We must ensure that the voices of young people are heard and that they are given the space and platform to contribute and indeed lead national development, including economic growth. This means they have to be healthy, educated and empowered and particularly young girls development needs to be given more attention. If we are to achieve much faster progress towards the attainment of the MDG and poverty reduction we must invest more in addressing gender inequalities and in empowering young people”
UNFPA’s new global leader, Dr. Osotimehin re-affirmed UNFPA’s commitment to the core principles of the Programme of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, that “every woman, man and child has the right to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in generating and using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect
In his first address to the UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board on Tuesday, 1 February 2011, Dr. Osotimehin described a world population of 7 billion in 2011 as “a major milestone in human history,” where “every person should enjoy human rights and human dignity, and have the opportunity to make the most of his or her potential.”
Dr. Osotimehin, who has just embarked on his four-year tenure as UNFPA’s Executive Director, noted that the world's population, which since 1967 has doubled, is rising by about 78 million people each year, and is projected to reach 9 billion by 2045. For every 100 people added to the world’s population, he noted, 97 are in the less developed countries.
“A world approaching a population of 7 billion is marked by new dynamics to which UNFPA must support countries to respond,” said Dr. Osotimehin. While rapid urban growth is putting pressure on Africa and Asia’s cities, declining fertility and unprecedented ageing stands at stark contrast with Africa’s continuously high birth rates, and the world’s largest youth population.
“UNFPA will place a special emphasis on today’s large generation of young people,” said Dr. Osotimehin. There are an estimated 1.8 billion adolescents and youth in the world today, accounting for nearly a third of the world's population, he noted. Just below 90 per cent live in developing countries and that proportion will increase during the next 20 years. “They need increased support, and they want freedom, participation and dignity,” he added.
“Investing in youth, their reproductive health and gender equality can help put countries on a path to accelerated economic growth and equitable development,” said Dr. Osotimehin. “This is the message that I will carry forward to Istanbul in May for the Fourth United Nations Conference of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs).” He added that UNFPA will work with development partners to mobilize support for LDCs to increase investment in young people.
The UNFPA Representative in Tanzania, Dr. Julitta Onabanjo, echoed Dr. Osotimehin’s need to focus on young people, highlighting that young people are critical change agents in their communities and countries. UNFPA in the context of the UN Delivering as One in Tanzania is committed to supporting young people in all aspects of their lives and especially in promoting their health, protecting them from gender based violence and advancing their education and engagement in national development.
“We must ensure that the voices of young people are heard and that they are given the space and platform to contribute and indeed lead national development, including economic growth. This means they have to be healthy, educated and empowered and particularly young girls development needs to be given more attention. If we are to achieve much faster progress towards the attainment of the MDG and poverty reduction we must invest more in addressing gender inequalities and in empowering young people”
UNFPA’s new global leader, Dr. Osotimehin re-affirmed UNFPA’s commitment to the core principles of the Programme of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, that “every woman, man and child has the right to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in generating and using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect
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