by Rosemari
Yesterday I went to National Geographic's headquarters in Washington, D.C. to attend "7 Billion People: Unleashing the Power of Women and Girls." In partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), National Geographic, the U.S. State Department, the International Women's Health Coalition, the Aspen Institute, and other organizations, the event consisted of a few diplomatic introductions followed by a lively panel, discussing how to address our rapidly growing global population, which is estimated to hit seven billion some time around Halloween.
Here's an amazing video that captures the challenges we face as we reach this benchmark.
The panel focused on the importance of women and girls equality and empowerment and access to health, education, and decision making. Fundamental topics included prenatal care, safe child birth, the ability to be integrated into a community while menstruating, and family planning.
I was thrilled to hear panelist Alexandra Garita, Program Officer at International Women’s Health Coalition, reframe the conversation. "The word that no one is mentioning is sex," Garita stated, advocating that investing in young people means educating them about comprehensive sex education, "young people need to know what that is."
We have a lot of work to do. We need to shift the paradigm that "issues" regarding population, women, and girls as issues, instead, regarding sex, gender, and sexuality. And I am so glad that Garita repeatedly brought comprehensive sex education to the center of this important conversation.
More information is available at 7 Billion Actions.
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