Seven Billion now!

The United Nations has projected that the worlds population will reach seven billion, before the end of this month. The US Census Bureau has put off the momentous birth for a few months, as according to its projections the 7 millionth child will not be born until March next year. Regardless, debate over the implications and challenges awaiting this burgeoning populace cannot be put off any further. The recently released World Hunger Report 2011 warned that even if the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) are achieved by all aspirants by 2015, 600 million people will still be undernourished. The "World Economic Outlook" published by the IMF last month warned that the "global economy is in a dangerous new phase. Global activity has weakened and become more uneven, confidence has fallen sharply recently and downside risks are growing". Another harsh census statistic that warrants action comes in the form of global employment level estimations. The "Global Employment trends 2011" report, issued by the International Labour Office in January 2011, asserted that "the number of unemployed stood at 205 million in 2010". But one of the biggest emerging problems for the world is the rise discontent among youth and their distrust in prevailing socio-economic frameworks. The Global Employment Report cites that about 1.7 million youth (aged between 18 and 24) have dropped out of the job market, discouraged by the lack of opportunities, while about 77.7 million are unemployed. Worldwide protests ranging from the Arab Spring to the Occupy Wall Street movements are afoot, predominantly fuelled by youth dissatisfaction over global economic frameworks and political systems along with the inequities inherent in them. Every multi-lateral agency, think tank and media outlet worth its mettle has started gearing up to clamour over pressing issues such as poverty, youth employment, environment, urbanisation and women empowerment. While the debates initiated on various platforms are encouraging; it remains to be seen just how much heed will be paid to the harbingers of harsh news when governments world over are too busy trying to salvage their own crumbling economies. Still these platforms provide chances for the youth to step up to engage in productive dialog instead of voicing dissent through mobs and riots. One hopes that unlike numerous other occasions in modern history, this time when the youths speak; the world listens!