Georgetown,
GINA, June 10, 2003
World Population Day
June 11 has been designated World Population
Day by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This
year's theme is "one billion adolescents: the right to
health, information and services."
The focus this year is on the rights and needs of young people.
Over one billion people are between the ages of 10-19 - the
largest youth generation in human history. According to United
Nations (UN) release reproductive health services and factual
information about reproductive health will help young people
avoid risky behaviour, unwanted pregnancy and poor health
in general.
The UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan in his message said,
" information and services are crucial in the fight against
AIDS" and "young people should know how the HIV
virus is transmitted and how to protect themselves".
According to the Executive Director UNFPA, MRS. Thorya A.
Obaid "each day, over 6,000 teenage young men and women
are newly infected with the HIV virus".
Education is also crucial in reducing the population growth
rate. A UNDP release stated that "experience shows that
educated women are likely to marry later, have fewer healthier
and better-educated children".
The release also states "if women wait until age 23 instead
of 18 to have their first child, that will reduce the population
growth by 40 per cent. In some countries, half of all girls
are married before the age of 18 resulting in early childbearing
that poses serious health risks to mother and child".
The United Nations estimates that there will be between 7.3
billion and 10.7 billion people in 2050, with 8.9 billion
the most likely projection.
In 2000, there were approximately 177,674 youths between the
ages 14-25 in Guyana. The last record of HIV/AIDS cases in
Guyana show that approximately 15,000 persons are living with
the HIV/AIDS virus. The majority of the infected population
is the working generation. This makes Guyana one of the most
affected countries in the Caribbean Region along with Haiti.
Organisations such as Lifeline Counseling, The National Aids
Programme Secretariat and the Volunteer Youth Corp are involved
in education awareness programmes on HIV/AIDS.
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