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World Population Day statement
Padare/Enkundleni/Men's Forum on Gender
July 10, 2009

PADARE/Enkundleni/Men's Forum on Gender joins the nation and the world in commemorating World Population Day on 11 July 2009,a day set aside by the Governing council of the United Nations Programme to raise awareness of global population issues.

This year's commemorations are running under the theme, "Responding to the Economic Crisis: Investing in Women is a smart choice." This theme comes in the wake of a global financial crisis that has negatively impacted on women in matters of access to sexual and reproductive health facilities, access to education among other basic necessities. The realization to celebrate this day with an emphasis on women and the girl child is greatly appreciated, since they have been on the receiving end in many developing countries in as far as resource allocation and control is concerned.

Many women have not been capacitated financially and are finding it hard to cope in these trying financial times .As we celebrate this day let's take time to reflect on the brunt women especially in the third world countries have gone through to make ends meet yet they have contributed significantly to the population increase which is estimated at 6.5 billion people across the globe.

Moreover the HIV/aids pandemic, hunger and poverty threaten to wipe out an entire generation and again women and children continue to be at the receiving end of these challenges .It is high time that we take it upon ourselves as a nation and the world to bring to an end the misery that has been a part of our society for so long a time.

200 million women still lack access to contraception, the largest youth generation ever is coming into its prime reproductive years and the women in poorest and least developed countries have the highest unmet need for family planning. We call upon the government to promote continued investment into health infrastructure, investment into social safety nets as well as educating the girl child .

Men are equally responsible in this and we therefore make a clarion to call to all men to embrace a culture of understanding and equality in families so that we can defeat the cultural impediments to gender equality.

Padare will continue to work towards building a culture of respect for women and the realization of gender equity as we envision a gender based violence free nation .

Together we can create a gender free society.

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