LEBANON:LEBANON: Launching SWOP and 7B National Statistical Booklet
Several media outlets reported on 15 December on the launching of UNFPA’s State of World Population report 2011 as well as a 7B national statistical booklet entitled “Lebanon in a World of Seven Billion: New Figures … Pending Issues.” This double event was held in the presence of the Minister of Social Affairs. The various sections of the 2011 SWOP were briefly presented in the event with key highlights and examples from the Arab States. The national statistical booklet was developed by the Population and Development Project, a joint collaboration between the Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA) and UNFPA, in an effort to contribute to the promotion of the theme for the World Population Day 2011 “Seven billion people counting on each other.” The booklet includes key indicators/statistics on a number of population and development themes relevant to Lebanon and seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues and on the need to find solutions. It also includes national data pertaining to the 7B Campaign themes. It also aims to serve as an advocacy tool targeting primarily media professionals however could also be addressed to key stakeholders such as parliamentarians, officials in public administrations, researchers, and NGOs, to draw their attention on priority population issues in Lebanon. As such, the booklet is meant to act as an important source of concise, friendly and quick information on main indicators/statistics at the national level. Read in Arabic: Lebanon Files, National News Agency, Al Balad, As Safir, El Nashra, Al Moustaqbal.