LAHORE: Speakers at a seminar in observance of World Population Day by civil society in collaboration with the Department of Social Work at the University of Punjab, called on the government to prioritise population control by focusing on women empowerment, resource mobilisation, population management, and poverty alleviation.

World Population Day is marked annually on July 11 to raise awareness about population issues and their impact on the environment and development.

Dr Qais Aslam from the University of Central Punjab said there was need to manage the population according to existing resources.

He said skill-based education to both women and men should be provided to improve their quality of life.

Other speakers said that reducing child marriages would help lower population growth as this change would also foster economic stability and would improve the overall quality of life for future generations. They demanded a comprehensive reproductive health policy as population is not just a personal family planning issue but also a women’s right.

They emphasised the need to effectively meet family planning service demands, noting that the current use of contraceptives in Pakistan is significantly lower than required.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2024