World Population Day

World Population Day is observed every year on 11th July. The aim is to raise awareness of global population issues. These issues can be resolved by family planning which will also aid in reducing poverty.

Family planning is extremely important for a woman’s health and wellbeing. The spacing and timing of pregnancies directly affects maternal health. It enables a woman to focus on her and her child’s health as healthy mothers give birth to healthy offspring. She will also have more quality time for herself and her family. It will also lessen the burden on the father and the children will have access to more resources.

Over population also has drastic effects on the economy. The ratio of the youth entering the job market compared to the available job opportunities is huge. This causes unemployment leading to depression, frustration and even street crimes.

Over growth also effects the environment disastrously. The limited resources of the planet will not be able to cater to the growing population. Deforestation, global warming,water and air pollution, depletion of natural resources and increased habitat loss are all consequences of over population.

The idea of population control, especially in our part of the world, continues to be a taboo. Unless this issue is addressed the world will continue to suffer. We need to educate our citizens about the importance of family planning and the methods of contraception to protect the environment and to be able to use our resources effectively.

Written by: Alvina Farhat

https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-population-day

World Environment Day 2020

The World Environment Day is celebrated on 5th June in over 100 countries. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) organizes events for World Environment Day annuallywhich encourages awareness and action for the protection of the environment. The theme for this year is ‘Biodiversity’

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. The different animals, plants microorganisms and ecosystems make the Earth biologically diverse. Each specie on Earth plays a vital role and each one depends on another to form a balanced ecosystem.

A healthy and flourishing biodiversity provides us with a lot of things such as:

  • Food
  • Fuel
  • Shelter
  • Medicinal resources and pharmaceutical drugs
  • Water resources
  • Nutrient storage and recycling
  • Climate stability
  • Recovery from unpredictable events
  • Research and education
  • Recreation and tourism

Human health and welfare is dependent on biodiversity. It is extremely important for us to make sure that the ecosystem is healthy so that we can stay healthy. Human actions such as deforestation, pollution, chemical and waste contamination, poaching, unsustainable hunting for food etc are not only affecting the health of the humans adversely but also have a devastating effect on every organism that lives on Earth.

Our health and well-being is in our hands. We have the power to change our actions and work towards preserving the integrity of our ecosystem and deal with all the threats and challenges it faces.

According to UNEP: Recent events—from bushfires in Brazil, the United States, and Australia, locust infestations across East Africa, and now a global pandemic—demonstrate the interdependence of humans and the webs of life in which they exist. Nature is sending us a message. To care for ourselves we must care #ForNature.

Written By: Alvina Farhat

Child Marriages

Child marriage is a violation of human rights. It is a global issue as it has been destroying the lives and future of many children. Due to the devastating impact of early marriage on the lives of children, it has been strictly forbidden by the law. According to UNICEF: ‘child marriage is a form of violence against children.’

Even though child marriages are common in both the genders, girls contribute to the vast majority and they are affected adversely. Early marriage is an outright denial of basic rights. It refuses girls the right to make important decisions related to their life, health and well-being. This makes them more vulnerable to mental, emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Child brides suffer various difficulties and they have long lasting consequences. Young married girls are not physically mature enough for sexual intercourse or child birth. They are more prone to pregnancy related problems that can lead to lifelong complications. These complications are a leading cause of death in young mothers. Not only do the young mothers suffer but it is also life threatening for the offspring. Young brides are also more likely to suffer from sexually transmitted infections like HIV. Child marriage forces girls out of education. Education is crucial for girls to make informed decisions related to their sexual health and welfare. By snatching away their rights to develop themselves and to learn and understand their capabilities and potentials we are just creating individuals that will always be dependent on others for everything. We are disempowering these girls and by doing so we are hindering the progress of our future. With every young girl being married off early and being compelled to leave education, we all suffer. We lose a potential future doctor, engineer, teacher, business woman, politician or a leader.

The price each one of us has to pay for every child bride is enormous. As it is said, ‘if you educate a man, you educate an individual. But if you educate a woman, you educate a nation.’ The education of the whole nation is at stake. Therefore, ending child marriage is essential for the prosperity and stability of our country.

Cousin Marriages

Cousin marriages are customary in few parts of the world. This trend should be discouraged as it has detrimental effects on the future generation. This established cultural tradition of marriage within families increases the risk of children being born with birth defects which ultimately leads to a rise in the death rates in such communities.
Every human receives one copy of each gene from their parent. If both the parents are linked, they might have a similar variant of that gene (allele). In cases where the gene codes for a disease process and both the parents have the same gene, the child is bound to get the disease.Children from cousin marriages undergo numerous problems. They are more prone to various issues which include congenital malformations, blindness and deafness, learning difficulties, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular disease, asthma, Down’s syndrome, metabolic disorders, cystic fibrosis, thalassemia, blood ailments, various cancers and many other such complications which may also include some incurable and complex disorders.

Children from cousin marriages undergo numerous problems. They are more prone to various issues which include congenital malformations, blindness and deafness, learning difficulties, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular disease, asthma, Down’s syndrome, metabolic disorders, cystic fibrosis, thalassemia, blood ailments, various cancers and many other such complications which may also include some incurable and complex disorders.

Cousin marriages is a sensitive issue as it has been a tradition since ages. While people associate benefits such as social and marital stability with it, this custom can come at a high price. It is essential that people understand the gravity of this situation and take steps to prevent this. Parents who are related should get tested to check if their genes carry any mutations that their child may inherit so they can prevent their children from undergoing severe disabilities or early death.

It is the duty of every citizen to promote a healthy society. It is our responsibility to make ourselves aware and to work for a better and healthier future for our offspring and the community at large.