Concept Note

“UNFPA State of World Population (SWOP) report launch towards the

World Population Day 2025 celebration”

“Advancing Rights and choices for Everyone - Shaping a Sustainable Future”

“เพื่อสิทธิและทางเลือกของประชากรทุกคน  สร้างอนาคตที่ยั่งยืนร่วมกัน”

#Rights&Choices4all #SRHR #Fertility #BuildingOurFuture

Wednesday, 2 July 2025 from 12:00 – 16:00 hrs. 

Pullman Bangkok King Power Hotel, Infinity Ballroom, G Floor

Introduction:

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the United Nations' leading sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA is dedicated to promoting population and development for every individual, across all ages, genders, and groups. Our core mission is to achieve a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. By 2030, UNFPA aims to eliminate the unmet need for family planning, end preventable maternal deaths, and eradicate gender-based violence and harmful practices, including child marriage and female genital mutilation. Operating under the fundamental principle of Rights and Choices, UNFPA's mandates directly contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 3 (Good health and well-being), Goal 5 (Gender Equality), Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and Goal 17 (Partnerships).

Rationale:

World Population Day, observed annually on July 11th, serves as a significant occasion for UNFPA and its partners to highlight pressing demographic issues. In 2025, the global fertility rate continues to be a prominent subject in headlines. Many countries are experiencing alarm over declining birth rates, often characterized as a "population collapse". In response to these demographic shifts, some governments have resorted to drastic measures, including incentives, to persuade women and young people to have more children. The prevailing assumption is that young individuals are deliberately choosing to have fewer children and that women must be incentivized to align their reproductive decisions with national fertility targets.

However, the 2025 State of World Population report reveals a more nuanced reality: the true crisis confronting the world is not one of underpopulation, but rather a crisis of reproductive agency. Despite the widespread attention on declining birth rates, most individuals express a desire to have children, and many wish for more children than they are currently able to have, even in countries with the lowest fertility rates. Fundamentally, the most consequential reproductive decision – whether, when, and with whom to have a child – is frequently undermined, and in some instances, outright denied.

A survey encompassing 14 countries, which collectively represent approximately 37 percent of the global population, indicates that a disturbingly high proportion of adults, both men and women, are unable to realize their fertility intentions. While the survey did not specifically include Thailand as a standalone data point, its findings are broadly indicative of global trends, suggesting that similar challenges may be present within the Thai context. A full State of World Population Report 2025 can be referred here.

Crucially, policymakers must also prioritize listening to the voices of young people, as their concerns about the future will inevitably influence their decisions regarding family formation. Young people who possess hope for the future are more inclined to pursue the lives they envision for themselves and their families. Ultimately, the authentic resolution to the crisis in reproductive agency involves cultivating a more equitable, sustainable, and caring world that genuinely supports individuals in having the families they aspire to.

Amidst the challenges of a low fertility rate and an aging population, this event aims to commemorate Thailand's progress and advocate for strategic, comprehensive investments across all demographic segments to ensure sustainable population development and a brighter future for all groups, all genders, and all ages.

Pre-Event Activities:

• An online social media contest will be launched to engage individuals across all life stages—youth and young people, the working population, elder adults, and the public. This contest aims to solicit their views and priorities regarding the current demographic situation.

• • Question: "ในสถานการณ์ที่โลกเผชิญกับความท้าทายมากมาย คุณยังคงอยากมีลูกเพื่อสร้างอนาคตไหม? คุณมีความหวังหรือกังวลอะไรบ้าง? หากอยากมีลูกหรือคนใกล้ตัวมีลูก จะต้องการการสนับสนุนหรือส่งเสริมอะไรบ้าง?
  • In a situation where the world faces many challenges, do you still want to have children to build a future? What hopes or concerns do you have?
  • #UNFPAThailand #WPD2025

2025 World Population Day Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, 2 July 2025 
• Time: 12:00 - 16:00 hrs. 
• Venue:  Pullman Bangkok King Power Hotel, Infinity Ballroom, G Floor
• Language of Event: Thai 
• Target Audience: Approximately 150 participants, including but not limited to decision-makers from all sectors: government, private sector, chambers of commerce, stock markets, industrial federations/associations, entrepreneurs, academia, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), advocates, Key Opinion Leaders (KoLs), university students, young people, and international organizations.
• Exhibition: A main UNFPA exhibition will be featured, presenting data and insights gathered from the State of World Population 2025 report, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) initiatives, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) programs, and the SoSafe platform.
• Activity: A "Talk Board" will be available to engage youth, teenagers, and young people, encouraging them to share their opinions on the question: "In a situation where the world faces many challenges, do you still want to have children to build a future? What hopes or concerns do you have?"

Draft Programme

Contact Persons:

Programme: 

Sucharat Sathaporn-anon, Outreach and Public Engagement Coordinator, UNFPA Thailand

Tel. 096-265-5966   E-mail: sathaporn-anon@unfpa.org

Logistics:

Panyawan Suphasri, General Programme Assistant, UNFPA Thailand

Tel. 089-896-8155 E-mail: suphasri@unfpa.org