Just like every year, the State of Qatar celebrated World Population Day on July 11 with the aim of reminding all segments of society of population issues and their importance, promoting community awareness thereof, as well as highlighting issues of family planning, gender equality, combating poverty, improving maternal health and human rights.
On this occasion, H.E. Dr. Saleh bin Mohammed Al-Nabit, President of the Planning and Statistics Authority and Chairman of the Permanent Population Committee, stressed that the primary goal of the Population Policy in the State of Qatar is "to strike a balance between population growth and the requirements of sustainable development, in a manner that guarantees a decent life for the residents of the State of Qatar, enhances their capabilities, broadens their options, and raises the levels of their participation in the progress and advancement of Qatari society."
Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989, the World Population Day is an annual opportunity for the world's population to hold public meetings, exhibitions and public awareness campaigns, with a view to focus attention on one of the population issues in the context of comprehensive development and its programs and the need to find solutions to these issues.
In a statement on this occasion, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Dr. Natalia Kanem said: "World Population Day is a golden opportunity to remind us that we will undoubtedly build the peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future that we have always dreamed of and envisioned during the International Conference on Population and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, if we harness the power of every human being on this planet. When we unlock the full potential of women and girls by supporting and nurturing their desires for their lives, families and careers, we galvanize half of the leadership, ideas, innovations and creativity needed to build a better society."
The State of Qatar's interest in population issues stems from its continuous project and approach to building an advanced society based on the principle of respect for human rights and the continuous improvement of the standard of living of its residents, whether citizens or expatriates. This interest was embodied in the Qatar National Vision 2030 launched in 2008.
