Context: The United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA) State of World Population - 2024 report, titled "Interwoven Lives, Threads of Hope: Ending Inequalities in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights," revealed that India's population is projected to double in 77 years.

Overview of India's Population Dynamics

Population Estimates

• India's population is currently estimated at 1.44 billion, positioning it as the most populous nation globally, ahead of China's 1.425 billion.

• The population has seen substantial growth from 1.21 billion during the 2011 census.

Age Distribution

• Approximately 24% of the population is aged between 0-14 years.

• The segment aged 10-24 years constitutes 26% of the population.

• Those aged between 15-64 years represent 68%, while 7% are aged 65 years and above.

Life Expectancy

• The average life expectancy is 71 years for men and 74 years for women.

Fertility rate

• Women in the reproductive age group (15 to 49 years old) currently have a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.0, which is below the replacement level of 2.1.

• The replacement level is the point at which a population has the exact number of births to replace itself from one generation to the next.

Health and Social Challenges

Sexual and Reproductive Health

• There have been significant advancements in sexual and reproductive health over the past 30 years, though these have often overlooked the most marginalized communities.

• Notable progress includes a reduction in maternal mortality, which now accounts for 8% of the global total, due to enhanced maternal health services' accessibility.

Child Marriage

• The prevalence of child marriage in India was recorded at 23% between 2006-2023.

Maternal Mortality

• Despite national improvements, disparities in maternal mortality rates are evident across different districts.

• Around a third of India's districts have achieved the sustainable development goal for maternal mortality, yet 114 districts have rates exceeding 210 per 100,000 live births.

Inequities

• Significant regional and demographic disparities persist in health outcomes, influenced by socioeconomic status, ethnicity, caste, and religion.

Vulnerabilities and Legal Protections

Marginalized Groups

• Women and girls with disabilities, migrants, refugees, ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, those living with HIV, and disadvantaged castes face heightened risks of gender-based violence and limited access to health care.

• Women with disabilities experience up to 10 times more gender-based violence than women without disabilities.

• These groups are particularly vulnerable to impacts from climate change, humanitarian crises, and mass migration.

• Inequities extend to wealthier women and certain ethnic groups, exacerbating disparities in healthcare access and reproductive rights.

Caste-Based Discrimination

• Dalit activists advocate for legal protections against caste-based discrimination in workplaces and education to improve living conditions and health outcomes for Dalit women.

Global Perspective and Local Actions

International Achievements

• The global community has reduced unintended pregnancies, lowered maternal death rates, and enacted laws against domestic violence in over 160 countries.

Continued Challenges

• Despite these achievements, disparities within societies and health systems are widening, necessitating focused efforts to reach the most disadvantaged groups.

UNFPA's Call to Action

• Globally, millions of women face barriers to sexual and reproductive health rights, with progress stagnating in key indicators.

• Despite strides, challenges like unchanged maternal mortality rates and diminishing bodily autonomy underscore the need for sustained global solidarity and investment.

Initiatives taken to improve Sexual and Reproductive Health

• India: Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), Surrogacy (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2024, Janani Suraksha Yojana, etc.

• Global: International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action in Cairo, Egypt, 1994, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995, etc.

About UNFPA

• Established in 1967, it is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency.

• Its mandate is to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

• It supports access to a broad spectrum of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, maternal health care, comprehensive sexuality education, etc.

• The mandate of UNFPA, established by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1973.

• Their goal is to end unmet need for family planning, preventable maternal death, and gender-based violence, as well as harmful practices including child marriage and female genital mutilation, by 2030.