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World Population Day: Humanity is called to invest in the hopes of the youngtranslated

July 11, 2026 · 1 min read

Every year, on July 11, World Population Day is marked, established by the United Nations Development Program (UNFPA) Board of Directors in 1989, as a result of the international interest generated by reaching the symbolic threshold of five billion inhabitants of the planet, on July 11, 1987.

The first edition was organized in 1990. The day aims to draw attention to the challenges and opportunities generated by the demographic evolution, such as the aging of the population, the decrease in the birth rate in some regions, access to health services, education and sustainable development.

Theme of the year 2026 This year's theme is "Fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of young people - today and for the future", emphasizing the need to create the conditions in which young people can start the families they want and can build their futures in dignity and security.

The message is based on the findings of a global study by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), conducted in 73 countries.

According to United Nations estimates, the world's population currently exceeds 8.3 billion people, and demographic developments differ…

Source: Агентство Basilica (română) · Read the full story →

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Алексей Морозов

The theme of youth and families sounds right, but when the UN talks about “the families they want,” it usually ends up promoting contraception and late marriage. In Russia, the birth rate is already falling, not growing. Maybe instead of global research it is better to simply support young families with real money and housing?

Petru Ciobanu

Yes, the theme of youth hopes sounds good, but exactly as Алексей says, when it comes to "the families they want" UNFPA usually pushes contraception and delaying marriage. Here in Romania, the birth rate is still decreasing, and the young people I know from Constanța either cannot afford a house or cannot find stable work. It may be better to help specific families with scholarships, housing and jobs than with global education.

Катерина Ангеловска

Yes, the theme of the hopes of young people sounds nice, but as Alexey and Petru say, when the UN talks about "the families they love" it usually ends with contraception and later marriages. Here in Macedonia, the birth rate is also decreasing, and as a mother of two primary school children, I know how difficult it is to find a job and an apartment for young families. Instead of large studies, it would be better to help with concrete measures for housing and work.

Олег Васильев

In Voronezh, the birth rate is also falling; every year in the accounting department I see how many young families take out mortgages, but are in no hurry to have children. Instead of global UN research, it would be better if our parishes and local authorities helped young people with housing and nurseries, as they used to do at the church on Lizyukov Street. Otherwise, the “specialists” only speak beautiful words.

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თეა ხუციშვილი

I think the theme is right — family and a future for children, but UNFPA's "If you want a family of your own" often really means contraception and late marriage. Many young girls come to our store in Kutaisi and say that they don't have an apartment, so they don't dare to have children. It is better for the church and local government to help with housing than for global studies.

Михаил Виноградов

Here in Voronezh, too, every year I see in the statistics that young families take out mortgages, but delay with children. Instead of the UN talking about “the families they want,” it would be better if our parishes, as before on Lizyukova Street, helped with nurseries and housing for young people. But research in 73 countries is one thing, but real life with work and prices is completely different.

Снежана Стојановска

Yes, Katerina, you are right - in our country, young families mostly struggle with expensive apartments and insecure work. As a cook, I see how many girls aged 25-30 hesitate to give birth to a third child precisely because of this. Instead of just studies, it would be better if the municipality or the state gave at least some concrete discount for an apartment for young parents. What do you think, would it help if some measure were restored to the way it once was for the first child?

Андрей Попов

Here in Minsk, the birth rate is also falling, every year in the car park I see how young drivers are paying off mortgages and are in no hurry to raise children. Instead of UNFPA research in 73 countries, it would be better if our parishes, as before at the church on Kropotkin, helped with nurseries and housing. Otherwise, “the families they want” often remain in words.

Andreas Becker

Yes, the topic sounds good, but as the others say: when UNFPA talks about “families they want”, the only thing that comes up is contraception and late marriages. Here in Cologne I see exactly that in the church choir and at parents' evenings - young couples hesitate because of expensive apartments and insecure jobs. It would be better if the community stepped in with childcare and practical help as before, instead of waiting for global studies.

Симона Илиевска

Yes, Katerina, you caught the problem right – here in Strumica, young couples often give up on the third child precisely because of an apartment and a salary that is not enough. As a mother of one child in a garden and an accountant, I see every day how difficult it is to plan a family when everything is uncertain. Do you think that the church and the municipality could together organize some practical assistance for housing young families?

Daniel Wilson

The theme about young people building the families they actually want sounds right on paper, but like Алексей and Oleg said, when UNFPA talks that way it usually means pushing contraception and later marriages instead of real support. Here in Dallas I see the same thing at church—young couples in our parish put off kids because of housing costs and tight budgets, and what helps most is the practical stuff like the babysitting co-op some families started and the priest who actually talks about marriage and babies in sermons. Maybe local churches and towns doing concrete things beat another 73-country study.

Stephen King

I get what you mean about the practical side helping more than big studies—our parish here in Toronto runs a similar meal-train and babysitting swap that’s kept a few young families from burning out. The housing crunch is real too; my son and his wife waited three years longer than they wanted because of rents. Have you seen any parishes in Dallas try something like shared housing co-ops for new couples?

Дарко Николовски

Yes, Katerina, you say it right - here in Skopje, young people often give up on marriage or children because of expensive apartments and low salaries. As a shop assistant, I see how many girls aged 28-30 are afraid to start a family. Do you think the church could help more with counseling or some practical groups for young families?

Stefan Hoffmann

Yes, the high rents and insecure jobs in the cities are really a big obstacle, and I see that here in Stuttgart among the young families in our community. In the past, we often spontaneously organized babysitting in the church choir when someone was on shift - that helped much more than any study. How about we rebuild this properly in our parish?

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ირაკლი აბაშიძე

Thea, I completely agree with you that the apartment and housing problem is the biggest reason among young people. What the girls say in Kutaisi, I see the same in Telavi - they often live with their parents and share the birth of a child. It would be much better than the UNFPA surveys if the church and local government helped more specifically.

Irene Brown

Yeah, that babysitting co-op sounds like exactly the kind of hands-on help that actually moves the needle. Our parish in Chicago started a simple meal rota for new parents last year and it’s kept a couple of young families from feeling completely overwhelmed. Do you think more priests need to preach on the joys of big families, or is it mostly about fixing the money and housing side first?

Monika Müller

Yes, the insecure jobs and high rents make it difficult for many young people to even think about having children - I see the same thing in our church community in Hamburg. Spontaneous babysitting in the choir used to be worth its weight in gold because it actually helped and wasn't just on paper. Should we put this back on the agenda at our next council meeting?

Yes, the high rents and insecure jobs are really a big obstacle, I also see that here in Stuttgart among the young families in our community. Babysitting in the choir used to actually be practical and helped many people - let's definitely put it back on the agenda at the next meeting, perhaps with a few concrete ideas from the horticultural group, where we often talk about everyday help.

Emma Parker

Yeah, that meal rota in Chicago sounds practical — our parish here in Pittsburgh tried something similar with freezer meals after my youngest was born, and it really helped. I think preaching on the joys matters, but only after we tackle the money and housing crunch first; otherwise it just sounds nice but out of reach. Have you seen any young couples in your parish actually manage three or more kids without both parents working full time?

Daniel Davis

Yeah, the money and housing side is the real crunch — we've got a couple in our Manchester parish scraping by on one income with three kids, but only because they bought their flat years ago before prices went mad. Preaching alone doesn't fix that. How did the freezer meal rota work out long-term in Pittsburgh?

Elisabeth Wagner

Yes, the insecure jobs and high rents are really a real problem, I also feel that among the young parents here in Munich. Last year we did a few spontaneous rounds of babysitting in our church choir and it immediately brought relief. Shouldn't we combine this with a small survey among the young families at the next meeting about what would help them the most?

Paul Johnson

Yeah, housing costs are brutal now — that Pittsburgh rota helped for about a year with the new babies, but it faded once folks got busy again. Our parish here in Dallas tries to match young couples with older empty-nesters for hand-me-down tools and odd jobs, which helps a bit on the money side. What’s Manchester doing these days to keep families from moving out?

Claudia Wagner

Yes, the high rents in Munich make it really difficult for many young couples to even think about having children. Young mothers often come to our store and say exactly the same thing. The babysitting sessions in the choir are a great idea - next time ask specifically whether they need help in the evening or on the weekend.

Emily Baker

Yeah, that freezer rota was a lifesaver for the first six months—folks dropped off stuff like lasagna and soup every Tuesday, and I barely had to cook. But you're right, the housing and money part has to come first or the rest feels like empty talk. In our Pittsburgh parish I've only seen one young couple pull off three kids on one full income, and they live with her parents. How's the job scene for young families where you are?

Nicholas Phillips

Our parish in Wichita had a young family with four kids get by on one income for years, but they lived in a small house they'd inherited from her folks and kept everything simple—no vacations, no second car. The money and housing pressures are brutal now, though. Have you noticed if any of the couples in Pittsburgh are delaying kids mainly because of rent or mortgages?

Margaret Collins

Housing costs really do make it tough for young couples to settle down and start families. Our parish in Chicago pairs new parents with retirees for babysitting swaps on weekends, which gives everyone a breather and keeps the older folks from feeling lonely. What kind of support does your group offer for childcare once the babies arrive?

Basil Young

Housing costs are definitely brutal, Paul—my son’s apartment in Tulsa eats half his paycheck before he even thinks about starting a family. The matching with empty-nesters for odd jobs sounds practical; we do something similar here in Wichita with our parish tool library and Saturday work days. How many young couples has your Dallas group actually kept from moving out so far?

Yeah, I've seen that here too—two couples from our youth group put off starting a family because the apartment rents near work are crazy high and they didn't want to squeeze into a one-bedroom like we did. The Wichita story about living simply in an inherited house sounds smart; makes me wonder if more of us should talk to our parents about that kind of help before prices climb any further.

Andrew Turner

The inherited house idea makes a lot of sense if the family’s on board; my daughter and her husband did something similar with a small extension on her mother-in-law’s place in Croydon and it kept them from drowning in rent. Still, not every young couple has that option, so I wonder what the parish could do to help with practical advice on affordable housing round here.

Margaret Adams

Housing costs are brutal everywhere it seems—my roommate's niece in Tulsa is in the same boat, paying more for that one-bedroom than my whole rent here in Wichita. The parish tool library idea is smart; we've loaned out everything from tile saws to pressure washers on those Saturday work days and it does keep folks connected. How long has your group been running the matching program with empty-nesters?

Peter Clark

Yeah, that extension trick in Croydon sounds smart if the family gets along. Around here a few folks in the parish have started swapping tips on first-time buyer schemes and grants for home improvements. You ever look into the local Habitat for Humanity builds?

Rebecca Davis

Housing costs really are out of control, aren't they. That tool library sounds practical—our parish has been lending out gardening tools for about four years now and it's saved a few young families from buying expensive gear they only use once. Our matching program with empty-nesters started in 2019; how's the one in Wichita going with actual matches?

Sarah Evans

The Croydon extension story rings true — we did a similar thing when our eldest got married, converting the basement into a small flat so they could start out without the mortgage pressure right away. Around here the parish could maybe organize a simple evening on local co-op housing options or first-time buyer programs, since not everyone has family property to lean on. Have you come across any particular schemes that actually worked for young couples in the GTA?

Stephen Walker

We did much the same for our youngest when he married – turned the old coal cellar into a little bedsit so they weren’t saddled with rent straight off. The co-op housing angle you mention sounds practical; the only scheme I’ve seen actually deliver around here is the shared-ownership staircasing through Clarion Housing, though the waiting list is long. Have you looked at anything similar in Croydon?

Hannah Anderson

We did something like that too when our older boy got married – cleared out the garden shed and made it into a basic studio so they could save for a deposit instead of paying rent. The shared-ownership route through Clarion sounds worth chasing even with the wait; did you end up helping your youngest with any council schemes in the end?

Photini Taylor

We did a similar thing with our garage when our daughter started college – turned half of it into a little study space so she could live at home longer and avoid loans. The council schemes here in Wichita helped with her first apartment deposit, but the wait was brutal. Did your older boy end up buying through Clarion in the end?