The report calls for a radical rethink of how countries address changing demographics as population anxiety rises 

WELLINGTON/BANGKOK, 3 May 2023: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Björn Andersson, visited New Zealand to launch the organization’s global ‘State of World Population’ Report in Wellington, at an event held today with members of the parliament, with the support of Family Planning New Zealand, the secretariat for the New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development (NZPPD).

The report titled “8 Billion Lives, Infinite Possibilities: the case for rights and choices”, launched globally in Brussels earlier this month, calls for a radical rethink of how population numbers are framed – as governments increasingly adopt policies aimed at raising, lowering or maintaining fertility rates.

The Report urges governments and media to abandon overblown narratives about population sizes, making the case that efforts to influence fertility rates, for having ‘too many’ or ‘too few’ people, are very often ineffective and can erode women’s rights.

The report’s theme touches on issues that concern each and every country, as societies undergo demographic changes including in the vast and demographically diverse Asia and the Pacific region, in which a number of countries are experiencing population decline, while at the same time, others continue to face population growth.  And in most countries, population growth has slowed, which is leading to societies with larger percentages of older persons.

“Irrespective of the country’s situation, fluctuations in fertility rates and changing population sizes require adjustments in policies extending far beyond the realm of demography and must be anchored around promoting gender equality and accelerating progress in women’s empowerment,” said Mr. Andersson.

The report launch in Wellington took place at the Parliament Building on Wednesday, where Mr. Andersson presented its key findings and recommendations to members of the parliament and key officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

“I am pleased to represent UNFPA in discussing this ground-breaking and timely State of World Population report in New Zealand, a longstanding and committed partner to UNFPA, and a champion in promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and girls around the world, including in the Pacific. I am grateful to the MFAT officials and members of the Parliament for giving me the opportunity to engage with them on the status of women’s rights and choices, including fertility choices, and how UNFPA in partnership with New Zealand can further advance women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality, before, during and after a crisis,” said Mr. Andersson.

New Zealand is a strategic partner for UNFPA, supporting the organization through generous multi-year core funding, in addition to project-based support to humanitarian action, including in Türkiye, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Philippines.  

Notes to editors

●      You can access the UNFPA State of World Population report 8 Billion Lives, Infinite Possibilities: the case for rights and choices here: www.unfpa.org/swp2023

●      For more information about UNFPA, please visit: www.unfpa.org