South Sudan joined the global observance of World Population Day in Juba, marking the annual event dedicated to highlighting the significance of population and development issues.

This year’s celebration, held under the theme “Unleashing the power of gender equality, youth, and peace: Uplifting the voices of young people to create a nation for all ages,” took place in the capital city, Juba, on Thursday.

During the event, Majur Babur, Chairperson for the Population Committee at the National Parliament, emphasized the importance of the country’s youth, stating that approximately 72 percent of the nation’s 12 million people are young individuals.

He expressed optimism about the young generation’s potential to become future leaders and underlined the need for both male and female youth to be nurtured through better education and access to healthcare services.

“I am happy to see so many young bright faces here because these are the leaders of the coming future,” Babur said. “We are told by the National Bureau of Statistics that above 72 percent of the population of this country are youth. This is a very good sign and when we talk of youth, we talk of male and female.”

Babur further stressed that the quality of the population is equally crucial as its size. A healthy and educated population would be highly productive and contribute significantly to the nation’s progress. He urged the authorities to invest in the well-being and education of the youth to unlock their potential fully.

“Because the issue of population is no longer about the numbers, it is about the quality of that population. A healthy population needs nothing from them. So we need our population to be healthy and to be educated and to be given each chance, both men and women, such that they are also very potential,” Babur explained.

Ademola Olajide, the United Nations Population Fund Country Representative, highlighted that a nation’s development is limited by the quality of its people. He called upon the government to pay heed to the voices of young people in the country for its betterment.

“South Sudan, like other nations that wish to develop itself, must listen to the voices of young people and young people in all their diversity, young with disabilities, and most especially young women,” said Olajide. “We must create a community that is equal when it comes to gender opportunities.”

According to the 2021 population estimate survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics, South Sudan’s population stands at approximately 12 million.

The World Population Day celebration, marked on 11 July annually, shed light on the pressing need to empower the youth, promote gender equality, and provide essential services such as education and healthcare.