Japan's Official Development Assistance White Paper 2008
Next PageMain Text > Part III Official Development Assistance in FY2007 > Chapter 2 Details about Japan's Official Development Assistance > Section 2. Measures for Each of the Priority Issues > 3. Addressing Global Issues > (3) Population
<Current Status>
It is expected that, in line with its steady rise, the world' s population may reach 9.2 billion people by 2050.50 The average annual population growth rate is 1.1%. Meanwhile, among the developing countries there continues to be a tendency for poor countries to have a higher population growth rate, significantly affecting poverty, unemployment, food shortages, undeveloped education, and environmental deterioration in those countries, and therefore addressing this issue is urgent. For example, the population growth rates in three countries in which per capita GNI is about US$700, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Guinea-Bissau, are 3.7%, 3.1%, and 2.9%, respectively. The population issue has two sides to be dealt with. One is issues of individual level, that is, how each person within the population retains reproductive health and rights as well as how to bear and raise children. Another is issues of national level, such as poverty, shortage of food, water, and energy, environmental degradation, and population migration, which are largely influenced by population trends.
<Japan's Efforts>
In FY2007, Japan contributed ¥4 billion to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and ¥1.5 billion to the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). These organizations provide support for improving the health of women during pregnancy and labor and for promoting maternal and child health, as well as collecting and analyzing population-related data, such as the census of developing countries, enhancing women's capabilities, and educating and advocating adolescents, reportedly accounting for over 1.2 billion of the world population.
Moreover, in March 2008, Japan provided instruments and other supplies as needed for emergency obstetric treatment to UNFPA Emergency Aid Projects in the Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia, in addition to facility development assistance for Afghanistan' s census financed by a supplementary budget, thereby medically and socially supporting women. By assisting childbirth in these ways, Japan has been supporting reproductive health and rights at their critical stage.