ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in a report released on World Population Day, has said Pakistan must place young people at the centre of its future planning as the country’s population has reached approximately 257.2 million.
According to the report, nearly one-third of Pakistan’s population is between the ages of 10 and 24. It said 76 per cent of young people expressed hope about the future, while 53 per cent of Pakistani youth were worried because of security concerns, economic difficulties and inequality.
The report also noted that young people in rural areas, particularly girls, are unable to realise their dreams due to limited access to the internet and digital facilities. It called for effective measures to end child marriages.
Speaking at a press conference, UNFPA Representative Dr Luay Shabaneh said investment in education, health, nutrition and young people was essential for Pakistan’s bright and stable future. He said access to external markets and investment in skills would increase income and savings, helping improve the standard of living and overall prosperity.
Dr Shabaneh said Pakistan should focus on human resource development and provide young people with opportunities to use their abilities. He described education as the foundation of development, prosperity and a strong future, adding that investment in youth was the guarantee of a brighter and more stable Pakistan.
This year’s World Population Day theme is “fulfilling young people’s hopes and aspirations — today and for the future”. In line with the theme, UNFPA released a new global report titled the Demographic Futures Survey.
The report, “Lives, Choices and Futures: What young people want and what influences their decisions on relationships and parenthood”, is based on responses from more than 100,000 internet users aged 18 to 39 across 73 countries. UNFPA said it is among the largest bodies of evidence on how young people make reproductive choices and decisions about relationships and parenthood.
The findings showed a gap between the number of children people want and the number they actually have. In Pakistan, women have an average of 1.8 children but want 2.5, while men have 2.5 children but want 3.4. The report said men expressed a desire for more children than women.
It further said that 30 per cent of people aged 35 to 39 in Pakistan have no children, and 65 per cent of them want children.
UNFPA said World Population Day is a reminder that Pakistan’s future will be determined not only by population trends but also by the quality of decisions made today. It said it remains committed to working with the Government of Pakistan and other institutions for a future where every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe and every young person can fulfil their potential.
