11 July 2020 - World Population Day

Our blue planet Earth is the home for millions of species of plants and animals, and the most intelligent species "“ Human Beings. We have inhabited this planet since times immemorial. With the passage of time, as science and technology advanced, so did the life expectancy of humans. And with it came the most unexpected effect, the population boom, which can be seen all over the world. World Population Day is observed on July 11th every year. And we shall discuss in detail on its history, importance and initiatives taken. As per the latest reports of March 2020, an estimated 7.8 billion people have been living on earth and over the period of time, this number is expected to grow further.

A brief history of World Population Day

To increase awareness about the issues that the growing population brings, every year the World Population Day is observed on 11th July. The Governing Council of the United Nation first established the World Population Day in 1989, to mark the milestone of 5 Billion global population. This day is observed to spread awareness about the significance of family planning, maternal health, human rights, poverty, and gender equality. The increasing population has adverse effects and puts immense pressure on nature's ecosystem as well as on the economy of the country, which is evident today. To control this, efforts are needed from each one of us at the individual levels, from the governing bodies to provide proper support system & medical aids and from the global bodies to ensure that every nation gets supported in this endeavor.

Theme - Protect the health and rights of women and girls

This year, owing to Covid-19, the United Nations has brought forward the theme of safeguarding the health and rights of women and girls around the world, especially during the times of the Covid-19 pandemic. The reproductive health, mental health, and overall well-being of the women and girls need to be protected. Recent UNFPA projections predict the calamitous impact on women's health as COVID-19 pandemic continues, stating that "47 million women in 114 low and middle-income countries may not be able to access modern contraceptives and 7 million unintended pregnancies are expected to occur if the lockdown carries on for 6 months and there are major disruptions to health services". It also stated a potentially sharp increase in the number of child marriages and gender-based violence which could otherwise have been averted in the absence of pandemic.

A glorious initiative towards Population Control by Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan

Acknowledging the population increase and the adverse effects that it causes, especially in the lower and middle-income group, Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan started the initiative of making people aware of this aspect. Guruji taught the common masses to have one or a maximum of two children and give them the best possible upbringing, rather than having many children and struggling to meet their needs of a decent life. With Guruji's inspiration, millions of people pledged to have 'one-child' and help control the population explosion.

Free Health Care for destitute and pregnant women by Dera Sacha Sauda

A large number of women from lower-income groups are deprived of proper health care and nutrition during pregnancy, owing to the lack of resources, knowledge, and financial support. Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan, who has dedicated His entire life to serving mankind, decided to take care of these women and launched the initiatives 'Respect Motherhood' and 'Mother-Child Guardians'. As a part of the 'Respect Motherhood' initiative, free medical checkups, medicine, and guidance are provided at the monthly Medical Camps organized at Dera Sacha Sauda and at the Shah Satnam Ji Speciality Hospitals. The millions of followers of Dera Sacha Sauda provide wholesome nutritious food to the women in their respective blocks so that the dietary requirements of these women are met and they have a healthy pregnancy. Under the 'Mother-Child Guardians' initiative, post-delivery care of the pregnant destitute women and nurturing of the mother and infant is provided by the Dera Sacha Sauda volunteers so that the baby grows healthily during its initial months. These selfless acts of kindness have helped thousands of destitute women and have helped provide medical support, which is in line with the vision of the United Nations as well.

Women Empowerment Initiatives By Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan

Recognizing the ever-increasing violence towards women and the need to empower the girl child, Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan taught millions of followers to nurture their daughters to grow up to become a strong woman. Guruji also emphasized on women's education, self-defense training, and to become financially independent so that they can take care of themselves in any given circumstances. Thanks to Saint Dr. MSG's efforts, more than 65 million people pledged towards raising empowered daughters. The volunteers of Dera Sacha Sauda also organize rallies and seminars and spread awareness on women empowerment in towns, villages, and cities of various states of India.

The Magic of Meditation

The answers to our questions lie within us. To raise the consciousness of people and to enable them to deal with the anxieties that stressful situations like Covid-19 present, Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan taught the method of meditation to more than 65 million people. Guruji emphasizes on making meditation a part of the daily routine and practices it daily for sometime in the morning and evening. With meditation, millions have been able to get rid of their anxieties and find inner peace, which results in good mental health. Meditation also results in better self-control. The benefits span across physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual growth. It has been found that people who practice meditation are:

• More calm and composed.
• Do not indulge in practices like domestic violence or abusing and exploiting their partners, which leads to better family life.
• Are capable of handling stress and anxiety.
• Have overall better physical health and better emotional health.

Now it's our time to act responsibly. As the most intelligent species of the planet earth, that we call our home, we have the utmost responsibility to protect and nurture it along with protecting ourselves, so let us not overload it. On this World Population Day, let us all pledge to do our bit, plan family responsibly, raise strong and empowered daughters, spread awareness, and be a role model in the society.