Observance of World Population Day 2017

World Population Day 2017 was observed at national level on 11 July in Serejeka under the theme “Family Planning Empowering People , Developing Nations”.

Asmara, 11 July 2017- World Population Day 2017 was observed at national level on 11 July in Serejeka under the theme “Family Planning Empowering People , Developing Nations”.

At the ceremony in which Ms. Amina Nur-Husein, Minister of Health, as well as representatives on UN organizations in Eritrea and invited guests were present, Dr. Andebrhan Tesfatsion, Acting Director General of Public Health, said that access to safe, voluntary family planning is a human right, it is also central to gender equality and women’s empowerment, and a key factor in reducing poverty.

Dr. Andebrhan pointed out that the Government and people of Eritrea, as they have shown progress in the Millennium Development Goals and with the experiences so far gained will without a doubt succeed in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr. Ibrahim Sambuli, UNFPA Representative in Eritrea, underlined that better productive heath care, including voluntary family planning, can bolster economies and contribute to sustainable development by empowering women, and that the observance of the Population Day is to review the trends and create awareness on various aspects of the population.

Dr. Tesfai Solomon, Director of the Ministry of Health branch in the Central region, on his part noted that the right of women to decide freely for themselves on their reproductive health, is central not only to bring array of benefits to the women and society at large, but also to sustain progress and help trigger a cycle of prosperity that carries well into future generations.

The World Population Day is observed on 11 July the day the world population reached to 5 Billion in 1987.