Today is the World Population Day which is celebrated annually on July 11 around the world. The celebration is mainly aimed to increase common awareness about population related issues. It was instituted in 1989 as an outgrowth of the Day of Five Billion, marked on July 11, 1987, the year in which possibly the earth residents reached to five billion. The UN authorized the event as a vehicle to build an awareness of population issues and the impact they have on development and the environment.

Since then, with the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA) encouragement, governments, non-governmental organizations, institutions and individuals organize various educational activities to celebrate the annual event.

One of the aims behind the celebration of day is to reaffirm the human rights to plan for a family. In 1968 world leaders proclaimed that individuals had a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and timing of their children. About 40 years later modern contraception remains out of reach for millions of women, men and young people.

The day also aims to increase people's awareness on importance of family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights. According to documents, around 800 women die on daily basis on account of pregnancy and child birth.

Additionally, the world population edged to 7 billion people in 2011 while it was 2.5 billion just six decades ago, it has had profound implications for development. A world of 7 billion is both a challenge and an opportunity with implications on sustainability, urbanization, access to health services and youth empowerment. This year's World Population Day focuses on the subject of "Universal Access to Reproductive Health Services."

Reproductive health problems remain the leading cause of ill health and death for women of childbearing age worldwide. According to reports, around 222 million women who would like to avoid or delay pregnancy lack access to effective family planning.

Moreover, the increase of population has changed into a worrisome issue as many maintain that current global economic system is not sustainable. With increasing level of population, we will witness declining resources to feed human beings. However, many countries have developed a system to control the population growth but population growth in developing countries has kept moving upward.

However, alarms ring from all side about increasing population, but still nations and international bodies have come to a conclusion to impose strict policy regarding population growth, because they maintain that earth can feed even billions more if the global system reformed or changed. But it should be noticed that population growth is an issue which is really serious worldwide.