United Nations: 377 million people, population of the Arab world, out of a total of 7.7 billion in the world

The United Nations Population Fund announced that the population of the Arab world has reached 377 million of the total world population of 7.7 billion and that the percentage of young people between the ages of 10 and 24 is about 28% of the total population of the Arab world.

Dr Luay Shabana, UN Population Fund Regional Director for the Arab States Region – at a press conference today, Wednesday, via the internet, to present the 2020 State of the World Population Report – which studies have shown that improving the rights and power of choice for women and girls in everything related to their life leads to improved demographic and social indicators Society in general.

He stressed that the percentage of girls who have undergone circumcision between the ages of 15 and 19 has reached 55% in the Arab world, indicating that the percentage of tolerance for this phenomenon should be zero, calling for coordination between all partners and actors. of society to put an end to the phenomenon of female circumcision which does not Rather, it is in religion, but it is a social phenomenon linked to unhealthy cultural inheritances.

The UN Population Fund Regional Director for the Arab States Region also warned that the rate of child marriages before age 18 reaches 20% in Arab countries. She pointed out that 9 out of 10 people in the world are discriminated against against women, and therefore gender inequality leads to many harmful practices against women, which are a violation of human rights, the most common of which are circumcision, early marriage. and the preference for boys.

She pointed out that early marriage leads to many girls dropping out of education and having more children, calling for investment in girls’ education and the provision of contraception and health and reproductive services. She pointed out that girls are more educated than boys if they have the opportunity to continue education.

She said that in times of crisis, the marriage rate between girls and girls has increased in Yemen and refugee camps in Jordan, and among displaced Syrian young women in Lebanon, and stressed that Arab world issues can be resolved through the focus of Arab governments on the social agenda of justice, education, health, dignity and job creation Participatory work by all parties to achieve an integrated result.

In turn, Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu-Ghazaleh, Deputy Secretary General and Head of Social Affairs at the League of Arab States, condemned discrimination against women and the maintenance of stereotypes towards women and violence. they suffer from.

It indicated that the crisis (Corona) delayed the implementation of sustainable development programs and called for the protection of women from violence and harmful practices as a prerequisite for achieving countries’ economic and social progress and achieving development goals sustainable.

She commended the role of the National Council for Women and Al-Azhar in advocating women’s issues and defending exposure to women with community participation which has created solid ground to raise awareness in a positive way about women’s issues in the society.