GLOBAL: CONTINUING COVERAGE ON WORLD POPULATION DAY AND YEAR OF SEVEN BILLION

GLOBAL: Science published a special issue on population dynamics on 29 July, which included an editorial by UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin. He wrote, “As the world's population reaches 7 billion this year, we should reflect on the many ways in which population dynamics matter to the planet's future. Population growth patterns are linked to nearly every challenge confronting humanity, including poverty reduction, urban pollution, energy production, food and water scarcity, and health. With world population projected to surpass 9 billion by 2050, these issues and the desire to raise living standards at the same time will create a huge challenge. What immediate actions can be taken to deal with growth while ensuring a sustainable future for all of the world's inhabitants?” Read: Science

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: Start published an interview with UNFPA Assistant Representative Faris Hadrovic on 26 July in light of the recent World Population Day. Mr. Hadrovic reflected on world population changes and population changes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “The role of education of women is very important, especially in countries with high birth rates. Women have access to services thanks to the UN, UNFPA and other organizations concerning issues of contraception, reproductive health, education and family planning," explained Mr. Hadrovic. Population trends in Bosnia and Herzegovina differ from Western European countries. Mr. Hadrovic noted the difference being that “BiH does not substitute its low birthrate with introduction of a new labor force, such as Germany or France do with opening borders for immigrants. We have no such influx and this will present a huge problem in the upcoming years since social expenditures will rise due to an aging population"

BRAZIL: Correio Braziliense reported on 29 July and published a brief interview with UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin as the global population comes close to seven billion, as predicted by the UN and experts published in Science debate whether the Earth is able to accommodate so many people. Dr. Osotimehin remarked on food scarcity, saying, "Often the problem is not production, but availability," he said. He said the current food production is sufficient to meet the needs of all people, and population growth will be followed by a natural evolution in farming techniques. The big challenge has always been dealing with inequality. Today, many regions have too much food, while others struggle with hunger. If nothing is done in the coming decades, inequality tends to be intensified." Read in Portuguese: Correio Braziliense (a) and Correio Braziliense (b)

COSTA RICA: Telenoticias broadcast a series of reports from 26 -28 July on global population growth and the “7 Billion Actions” campaign. "The issue is not only about having a place on the planet, but the footprint we leave on it, the access to services, the quality of life we’ll have, and our neighbors will have," said Patricia Salgado, UNFPA." Read in Spanish: Telenoticias,  Telenoticias and Telenoticias. Watch in Spanish: Telenoticias (a), Telenoticias (b), Telenoticias (c), Telenoticias (d) and Telenoticias (e)

Radio Nacional reported on 27 July on global population growth and dynamics, including ageing, and the “7 Billion Actions” campaign. Listen in Spanish: Radio Nacional

JORDAN: Multiple media outlets reported on 26 July that on the occasion of World Population Day, and under the patronage of HRH Princess Basma Bint Talal, UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, the “State of Jordan’s Population 2010” was launched for the first time in Jordan. This report  was prepared by the Higher Population Council in cooperation with UNFPA. The report is considered to be the first comprehensive report that sheds light the structure, characteristics and historical development of the status of the Jordanian population. The report included population projections at the national and provincial level for the period 2009-2050, which will contribute in determining the future of development policies that leads us to the demographic window and later on, if well invested, to the "demographic bonus.” The launch of the report coincided with the launch of the "7 Billion Actions” campaign. Read: Jordan Times Read in Arabic: Al Rai, Ad Dustour and Al Arab Al Yawm

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY: Multiple media outlets reported on 27 July on a press conference that was organized in the Gaza Strip under the theme “Unleashing the power of women and girls will accelerate progress.”  UNFPA Representative Barbara Piazza Georgi opened the conference with a statement that highlighted the challenges and opportunities in a world of seven billion, in addition to explaining the campaign’s objectives and themes. The Palestinian Bureau of Statistics provided an overview of the situation of the Palestinian population in 2011, followed by a statement on the situation of Palestinian women from the Culture and Free Thought Association, a long-standing partner of UNFPA. The conference was closed with an overview on the situation of the population in Gaza, provided by a national demographic expert. Read in Arabic: Ma'an News,  Al Quds Net, Safa, Amad, PNN, Aswar Press, Al Sabah, Shehab and Palestine Now

UNITED STATES: Ms. published an op-ed by Suzanne Petroni on 29 July on the upcoming growth of the world population to seven billion, and highlighting the approach to population growth endorsed by the ICPD Programme of Action. She argued, “While the U.S. House vote to defund Planned Parenthood received much media attention earlier this year, similar attempts by House Republicans to defund the United Nations Population Fund have gone largely unnoticed. UNFPA works in some 150 countries, supporting programmes that help women deliver healthy babies and survive delivery, enable couples to determine the number and spacing of their children, reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, and end the harmful practice of female genital mutilation. The conservative excuse for defunding Planned Parenthood has been that part of the organization's mission is to provide safe abortions (although not with U.S. funds). But UNFPA, even though it doesn't promote or provide abortions, has still been the subject of a decades-long partisan game of ping-pong. Every Republican president since Ronald Reagan has withheld funding for this important agency, while every Democratic president has restored it. Employing the blatantly false pretext that UNFPA supports China's one-child policy and condones abortions and sterilizations, conservative politicians try to score points with their constituents, while the neediest women in the world suffer very real and tragic consequences.” Read: Ms.