WORLD POPULATION DAY

That this House calls attention to World Population Day on 11 July 2010; commends the United Nations Population Fund for designating this date in 1989 to focus attention on the importance of world population and sexual and reproductive health and rights; notes with concern that between 343,000 and 500,000 women still die every year during pregnancy and childbirth and an estimated 32 per cent. of maternal deaths can be averted through family planning alone; and calls on the Government to increase population assistance to 10 per cent. of official development assistance, with particular attention to family planning, which has seen its relative share shrink from 55 per cent. to only five per cent. of global population assistance since 2000.