World Population Day is celebrated annually on 11 July. This important observation is an outgrowth of the Day of 5 Billion, which was observed on 11 July back in 1987. It was later recommended that 11 July be observed as World Population Day. World Population Day seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, particularly in the context of overall development plans and programmes, and the need for collective actions.

This year the World Population Day marks the launching of a campaign called «7 billion», an international move to celebrate the milestone of 7 billion of the world’s population. The campaign will engage people throughout the globe on what it means to live in a world with 7 billion people and encourage actions on issues that affect all of us.

In Uzbekistan, UNFPA, Women’s Committee and khokimiyats (municipalities) of Tashkent city and Chilonzor district join hands to celebrate the World Population Day with open-air event at one of Tashkent’s beautiful parks, Gofur Gulom. The celebration focuses around marathon among some 100 women — activists of makhallyas, as well as charitable chalk drawing contest on a theme of «The World of 7 Billion» among orphan children. Winners and participants of the contest will get awarded with souvenirs. Participants of the event and guests will also enjoy performance of amateur folk dance and song groups.

The celebration aims to draw public attention to population-related issues, particularly the role of young people, and importance of advancing population’s reproductive and maternal health. Organization of marathon and creative contest is symbolic in showing the efforts that the Government of Uzbekistan is undertaking, particularly in advancing women’s participation in sports, and creating opportunities for young people to develop their skills.

UNFPA and Women’s Committee have been working together for more than a decade on various issues related to advancement of women’s role, educating communities on issues of reproductive health, and promoting adolescents’ healthy lifestyle. Organization of marathons among activists women has become a long-standing tradition of the two organizations.

Ensuring that women enjoy full access to information and services related to reproductive and maternal health is one of the cornerstones of the «World of 7 Billion» initiative.

«Protecting reproductive health and rights is fundamental to our collective future and sustainable development», — says UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin in his message for World Population Day, — «When women and adolescents girls have rights and opportunities, their families, communities and nations prosper»

The campaign, starting on the World Population Day, will culminate towards the end of October, when the Day of 7 Billion is celebrated and UNFPA launches its flagship report, State of the World’s Population. It will also include the seven-daycountdown to the Day of 7 Billion, starting on 24 October, UN Day.

Throughout this period, UNFPA in Uzbekistan, in partnership with its numerous national partners, will hold series of events aimed to raising public awareness on the important milestone of 7 billion, among communities, young people andmass-media.

Particularly, on July 11, the Day will be celebrated with sports competition among women in Namangan, under the aegis of Women’s Committee. On July 14, UNFPA will hold celebration day at youth summer camp organized by Center for Youth Initiatives ‘Kelajak Ovozi’ in Kashkadarya region.