BLOGGERS UNITE:WORLD POPULATION DAY 2009

WORLD POPULATION DAY 2009The United Nations' (UN) World Population Day is annually observed on July 11 to reaffirm the human right to plan for a family. It encourages activities, events and information to help make this right a reality throughout the world.

World Population Day aims to increase people’s awareness on various population issues such as the importance of family planning, including gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights. The day is celebrated worldwide by business groups, community organizations and individuals in many ways. Activities include seminar discussions, educational information sessions and essay competitions. (source)

This year's World Population Day Theme is :Fight Poverty Educate Girls

When I was growing up my grandfather was a firm believer in education as being a key to opening doors for me. One day I pretended to be ill because I did not want to attend school. He came into my bedroom to see why I was not up preparing to get dressed to come downstairs. I moaned and groaned while complaining about how bad my stomache ached. He looked at me with a very serious expression on his face and said, "I feel sorry for your children Deborah, because you are not going to be a very smart mother." Of course this was not the response that I was anticipating. I remember after hearing his declaration about my future, I became outraged. "Why would you say that?" I asked. He looked at me and said, "If you do not get yourself educated your children will have to live off of you lack of education." Upon hearing this I immediately got up out of my bed and headed for the bathroom to wash up. I certainly was not going to be the mother of poorly educated children.

I have always remembered that day. My grandfather's observation on how my future and my family's future stuck in my brain. None of the adult women in my family were poorly educated. Even in an era where it was difficult for women of color to obtain decent educations they had managed to overcome that particular obstacle in life.


Now that I am an adult, mother and grandmother, I still believe that education is a vital key to individual success. Being an American, I take access to education as a matter of fact. But I realize that is not so for millions of girls who live in this world.

Facts About Educating Women and Girls:
Women in Sub-Saharan Africa are more than 1.5 times as likely as men to contract HIV.
Millions of women in America have difficulty understanding practical health information.
More than 10,000 girls a day will get married before they turn 15.
More than 60% of the 110 million children out of school are girls.
One in three women and girls in the developing world live on less than $2 a day.
Educated girls and women are less vulnerable to HIV infection, human trafficking and other forms of exploitation, are more likely to marry later, raise fewer children who are more likely to go to school, and make important contributions to family income. (source)

There are over 600 million girls in the developing world and approximately one-quarter of them are not enrolled in school - and the ones that do enroll, rarely make it through secondary levels. In many developing nations the girls are expected to do the needed labor to help their families.

Educating girls and investing in women can have a positive impact on the global economy.

Economically empowering women lifts entire families, communities, and countries out of poverty. In fact, it is the best thing we can do to end world poverty. This is not only because women are at a greater risk of being poor, but also because research has shown that women in poor countries are more likely to spend their income on food, education, and healthcare for their children - giving families a lasting path out of poverty. (source)


How can you help support the effort to help girls attain their educations?
There are organizations that are actively engaged in helping to improve the lives of girls and women all over the world.

Women Thrieve is sponsoring an on line petition to ask Congress to reform foreign assistance.
UNFPA World Population Day This site provides you with educational materials and ways that you can help promote educating girls and investing in women.
One.org: The One campaign is actively engage in ending poverty in the world.
Visit the site and learn more about the work that One.org members are doing worldwide.
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