State of World Population (SWP) Report 2022: United Nations Population Fund
Recently the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has released the State of World Population 2022 report. The report is titled “Seeing the Unseen: the case for action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy”.
Key findings of the report:
- About 60 percent of women with an unintended pregnancy go on to have an abortion. Of the total abortions, 45 percent are unsafe. Such abortions cause maternal mortality of up to 5-13 percent.
- In developing countries, 135 women give birth before the age of 18.
- Between 2015 and 2019, there were 121 million unintended pregnancy cases worldwide each year. One in every seven of these cases was reported in India.
Key factors contributing to unintended pregnancy
- Lack of gender and reproductive health care and information.
- Harmful practices and stigma-like perceptions of women in matters of control over their own bodies and reproduction.
- Critical attitude or embarrassment in health services.
- Poverty and stagnation of economic development.
- Gender inequality.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
- It is an international development agency established in the year 1968. It supports the implementation of projects and programs in the areas of population and sexual and reproductive health.
- Its mandate is established by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
- It is working with governments, partners and other UN agencies to directly achieve various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
These goals include the following:
- Health related Goal-3
- Education related Goal-4
- Gender Equality Goal-5
What is unintended pregnancy?
An unintended pregnancy is a condition in which a woman conceives despite either not wanting a child or/or not wanting more children.
Key recommendations of the report
- Health services should be made comprehensive and gender sensitive. The scope of social security should be increased.
- There is a need to end gender-based violence.
- Investments need to be made for the empowerment of women and girls.
Source – The Hindu
