Once again it is 11th July – a day celebrated as World Population Day. The UN authorized this event as a vehicle to build an awareness of population issues and the impact they have on development and the environment.

The event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989. It was inspired by the public interest in Five Billion Day on 11th July 1987 (approximately the date on which the world’s population reached five billion people). Since then, with the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) encouragement, governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), institutions and individuals organize various educational activities to celebrate the annual event.

Today, there are more than 6 billion people on the planet with half of the world’s population under the age of 25. World Population Day aims to increase public awareness on various population issues such as importance of family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights. This day reaffirms the human right to plan for a family and it encourages activities, events and information to help make this right a reality through out the world. The theme this year is 'Fight Poverty: Educate Girls.'

Investments in the education and health for women and girls have been linked to increase in productivity, agricultural yields and national income. Girls account for more than half of all children not in school. The majority of the world’s one billion illiterate adults are women. They should be granted access to education. Ensuring that girls achieve a complete primary education can help in ending poverty and this will also give women a range of opportunities like ample participation in society, earn an increased income, make informed decisions about their health and their families health and have better options for their livelihoods.

Over the years, investments by governments all over the world have raised school enrollment rates, narrowed the gender gap in education, brought life-saving drugs to people suffering from diseases like AIDS, expanded HIV prevention, delivered bed nets to prevent malaria and improved child health through immunization. This has benefited many, saved many lives and improved the quality of living of many people.

This year let's lay emphasis on the importance of female education and try to contribute in any little manner we can to educate a girl who will someday be a future mother.