State of World Population

This publication documents the origins, drivers and prevalence of harmful practices within and across developing and developed countries as well as in humanitarian settings. It also highlights their impact on girls’ and women’s health, well-being and rights throughout their lives, the impact on demographics, national economies, development and eventual achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Where relevant, it also highlights the impact on boys.

Human rights are universal, interrelated and interconnected. This publication highlights the fact that reproductive rights, one of the most fundamental rights inherent to all persons and one of the most intimate choices a person can make, are still not available to all. Evidence remains that the right to make choices remains limited for far too many women. The extent to which couples and individuals have the power to make their own decisions about whether and when to have children, and how many children to have, directly impacts fertility levels. Fertility levels vary greatly between developed countries and least developed countries. They provide a general indication of the state of reproductive rights. This publication shows that great disparities are often tied to social and economic inequities and need to be addressed.

Family planning is a human right. Still, 222 million women in developing countries do not have access to contraception and are at risk of unplanned pregnancy that can cause health complications and financial hardship. The State of the World Population 2012 explains why family planning is a right that reinforces other rights, such as the right to health or the right to education. The report further documents the economic and social benefits accrued to households, communities and countries when the right to family planning is exercised by women, men and young people.

In 2000, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1325, recognizing the vulnerability of women and girls to violence during and after armed conflict, and the absence (or low level) of women’s representation in efforts to prevent war, build peace and restore devastated societies. This Report highlights how women in conflict and post-conflict situations — as well as in emergencies or protracted crises — are faring a decade later. It is constructed around interviews and reporting in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Haiti, Jordan, Liberia, the Palestinian territory of the West Bank, Timor-Leste and Uganda, which are rebuilding with limited resources. Some have experienced profound social changes as a result of war and displacement.

The State of World Population 2008 demonstrates that an appreciation for cultures and values is a critical but sometimes overlooked aspect of successful development strategies. It shows how culture can strengthen and validate human rights perspectives and enable their broader acceptance, ownership and realization. The report argues that synergy between the global human rights agenda and cultural aims can help advance the Millennium Development Goals and contribute to ending extreme poverty.

This year’s report focuses on the lives of migrant women. Every year millions of women working overseas send hundreds of millions of dollars in remittances back to their homes and communities. These funds go to feed and educate children, provide health care, build homes, foster small businesses and generally improve living standards for loved ones left behind. For host countries, the labour of migrant women is so embedded in the fabric of society that it goes virtually unnoticed. Migrant women toil in the households of working families, soothe the sick and comfort the elderly. They contribute their technical and professional expertise, pay taxes and quietly support a quality of life that many take for granted.

This year’s report examines countries’ achievements and constraints in implementing the Cairo consensus, including efforts to improve the quality and reach of reproductive health programmes, promote women’s rights, improve maternal and child health and strengthen HIV prevention efforts. UNFPA’s report makes the case that mobilizing political will and increased funding by the international community is crucial if countries are to maintain and build on the gains of the past decade.

Attacking poverty directly has become an urgent global priority if we want to accelerate development and reduce inequality within and among nations. World leaders have agreed to launch a variety of new initiatives, including the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 2002 State of the World Population report is a contribution to the discussion and a guide to action. It reviews poverty’s many dimensions and looks at several the key issues, including poverty and gender, poverty and health, and education and poverty. It also outlines a framework and provides recommendations to meet the poverty eradication goal by 2015.This publication includes analyses, recommendations, and a wealth of statistics, graphs, and indicators.