EDITORIAL
The United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) State of World Population – 2024 report revealed that India’s population is estimated to double in 77 years and at present India leads globally with an estimated population of 1.44 billion, followed by China at 1.425 billion. India’s population comprises 24 per cent in the 0-14 age bracket, according to a recent report by the UNFPA.
The United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) State of World Population – 2024 report – “Interwoven Lives, Threads of Hope: Ending Inequalities in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights” states that India’s population was recorded at 1.21 billion during the last census, conducted in 2011.
The segment aged 10-24 is estimated to constitute 26 per cent, with the 15-64 age group making up 68 per cent. Additionally, 7 per cent of India’s population is aged 65 years and above, with men having a life expectancy of 71 years and women 74 years.
According to the report, the child marriage percentage in India was at 23 between 2006-2023.
The report noted that maternal deaths in India have fallen considerably, accounting for 8 per cent of all such fatalities worldwide.”
Improvements in healthcare access have primarily benefited wealthier women and those who belong to ethnic groups that already had better access to health care.
Moreover, 800 women die every day giving birth, unchanged since 2016; a quarter of women cannot say no to sex with their partner and nearly one in 10 women cannot make their own decisions about contraception.In 40 per cent of countries with data, the report said women’s bodily autonomy is diminishing
.”In the space of a generation, we have reduced the unintended pregnancy rate by nearly one-fifth, lowered the maternal death rate by one-third, and secured laws against domestic violence in more than 160 countries,” said UNFPA Executive Director Dr Natalia Kanem.
Women and girls who are poor, belong to ethnic, racial and indigenous minority groups, or are trapped in conflict settings, are more likely to die because they lack access to timely health care.
The 2021 census of India, or the 16th Indian census, is to be conducted in two phases, a house listing phase and a population enumeration phase. Although initially the house listing was to begin in April 2020 along with the updating of the National Population Register, and the population enumeration on 9 February 2021, hey have been effectively postponed to after the 2024 general elections. And in the budget 2021, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had allocated ₹37.68 billion for this purpose.
It was delayed to 2022 and then further delayed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
Now that the General Elections are in progress and in June first week new government will be taking charge, one of their priority order will be for the population survey. The new set of statistics is vital for upcoming planning of economic development, employment, income distribution, poverty and social protections.
