8 Billion Lives, Infinite Possibilities: DC Launch of the 2023 UNFPA SWOP Report

The world has now reached and surpassed a population of 8 billion, marking a significant milestone in human development in areas such as medicine, science, health, agriculture, and education. However, this achievement is also accompanied by concerns and anxiety as the world faces various crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and mass displacement. 

The 2023 UNFPA State of World Population Report, 8 Billion Lives, Infinite Possibilities: The Case for Rights and Choices, calls for a radical rethink on how population numbers are framed, recognizing the need for a novel approach that puts people at its center. This approach requires investing in data collection that looks beyond population sums and fertility rates and asking the right questions in support of sustainable development and human rights. 

Please join the Wilson Center’s Maternal Health Initiative and UNFPA for a panel discussion of global experts and contributors to this report. The panelists will present research based on evidence, discuss their advocacy efforts, and initiate a dialogue about how to practically implement the recommendations of the report in healthcare systems across the world.    

Please send questions for our panelists during the event via the chat box on this page. Follow the conversation on Twitter @Wilson_MHI, and on Instagram @MaternalHealthInitiative using the hashtag #MHDialogue. Find more coverage of these issues on our blog, NewSecurityBeat.org/Dot-Mom.