World Population Day: Reproductive autonomy is a global concern

On July 11, the United Nations Population Fund Office in Vietnam announced the official message of World Population Day, July 11, 2025: "Reproductive autonomy in a changing world."

The message aims to promote public awareness of roles, rights and responsibilities in reproductive matters.

Ms. Pauline Fatima Tamesis - United Nations Resident Coordinator in Vietnam said that this year's UNFPA State of World Population Report highlights an increasingly urgent global concern: the crisis of reproductive autonomy, or in other words, the right to freely decide about reproduction.

According to Pauline Fatima Tamesis, one in five couples worldwide struggle to achieve the size of their family they want. This means that millions of individuals and couples are finding it increasingly difficult to make one of life’s most fundamental decisions: whether, how many and when to have children.

For some, barriers are structural, such as limited access to contraception or reproductive health care. For others, barriers come from economic , social, or environmental insecurity. This is not just a health issue, but a story about freedom, equality, and human rights.

Like many other countries around the world, Vietnam is experiencing major demographic changes, from changing population structures to new fertility trends. Vietnam now has the largest young population ever, and is also preparing for a future where by 2036, more than 20% of the population will be aged 60 or older. These trends require adaptive, comprehensive and visionary policies that protect reproductive rights and support families at all stages of life.

The 2025 report emphasizes that true reproductive choice can only be achieved through investment in people, especially women, adolescents and vulnerable groups.

The United Nations in Viet Nam affirms its commitment to working closely with the Government to: Ensure universal access to quality reproductive health care and family planning services; Support countries to promote comprehensive population policies; Expand access to comprehensive age-appropriate sexualityeducation and adolescent/youth-friendly services; Strengthen data systems to support more effective planning and investment.

World Population Day is an annual event held on July 11 to raise global awareness of global population issues.

This is also an opportunity for humanity to be proud of achievements in the fields of population, health care, gender equality, environmental protection, improving life, enhancing population quality and life expectancy, contributing to national development.

This day was initiated in 1989 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), after the world population reached the milestone of 5 billion people on July 11, 1987. This is an opportunity for countries to evaluate and promote effective population policies, ensuring reproductive rights and quality of life for all people, especially women and adolescents.

In 1994, in Cairo, the International Conference on Population and Development, 179 countries, including Vietnam, adopted a program of action with a broad vision in the field of population and development (ICPD). All countries agreed with the view that we need to put people at the center and affirm the close relationship between population and development./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/ngay-dan-so-the-gioi-quyen-tu-quyet-sinh-san-dang-la-moi-quan-tam-toan-cau-post1049173.vnp