Overview

• World Population Day was established by the UN Development Programme in 1989 and is observed each July 11 to spotlight demographic challenges from reproductive health to environmental sustainability.
• This year’s slogan—“Empower Youth to Build the Families They Want in a Just, Hopeful World”—calls for ensuring that young people have the rights, resources and opportunities to decide if and when to start families.
• Global fertility has declined from 3.31 births per woman in 1990 to 2.25 in 2025, with over half of countries now below the 2.1 births-per-woman replacement threshold.
• A UNFPA report finds that one in five adults of reproductive age believe they will not be able to have their desired number of children, citing financial constraints and concerns over environmental and societal risks.
• By 2054, 33% of populations in countries that have reached peak demographic levels are projected to be 65 or older, fueling debates over incentives, reproductive rights and social support measures.