India's population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019 to 1.36 billion, more than double the annual growth rate of China, according to a report by the United Nations Population Fund.

India's population in 2019 stood at 1.36 billion, growing from 942.2 million in 1994 and 541.5 million in 1969.

India's population grew at&nbsp;an average annual rate of 1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency said in the State of World Population 2019 report.

In pics: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/population-rise-india-and-the-world-355">Population rise, India and the world</a>

In comparison, China's population stood at 1.42 billion in 2019, growing from 1.23 billion in 1994 and 803.6 million in 1969.

China's population grew at an average annual rate of 0.5 per cent between 2010 and 2019, the report said.

According to the report, in India, the total fertility rate per woman was 5.6 in 1969, dropping to 3.7 in 1994 and 2.3 in 2019.

India recorded an improvement in life expectancy at birth. The life expectancy at birth in 1969 was 47 years, growing to 60 years in 1994 and 69 years in 2019.

Giving a snapshot of India's population composition in 2019, the report said 27 per cent of the country's population was in the age bracket of 0-14 years and 10-24 years each, while 67 per cent of the country's population was in the 15-64 age bracket.

Six per cent of the country's population was of the age 65 and above.

Indicative of the improvement in the quality of India's health care system, the report noted that Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in the country dropped from 488 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1994 to 174 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015.

Director of UNFPA Geneva Monica Ferro said the figures were "worrisome" and it was essential to raise the level of consent and access to vital health services for millions of women around the world.

"Don't forget: each one of these numbers is a person," she said.

Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indias-population-will-be-more-than-that-of-china-by-2050-161206">India's population will be more than that of China by 2050</a>

The findings, relating to women aged between 15-49 years, were published for the first time as part of the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFP) State of World Population 2019 report.

The report includes, for the first time, data on women's ability to make decisions over three key areas: sexual intercourse with their partner, contraception use and health care.

According to the analysis, the absence of reproductive and sexual rights has major and negative repercussions on women's education, income and safety, leaving them "unable to shape their own futures".

Early marriage continues to present a major cultural obstacle to female empowerment and better reproductive rights, the UNFPA report said.

"A girl who marries when she is 10 will probably leave school. And because she leaves school, she won't get the negotiating skills, and she won't get the specific skills which will allow her to then get a better-paid job,"&nbsp;Ferro said.&nbsp;

Those women and girls left behind "are typically poor, rural and less educated," Ferro said, adding that "two-thirds of all maternal deaths today occur in sub-Saharan Africa".&nbsp;

Despite these concerns, the UNFPA report highlights that "untold millions" have enjoyed healthier and more productive lives in the 50 years since the agency was founded, thanks to pressure from civil society and governments to dramatically reduce unintended pregnancies and maternal deaths.

Highlighting positive changes in the last half-century, the report shows that in 1969, the average number of births per woman was 4.8, compared with 2.9 in 1994, and 2.5 today.

Looking ahead to future challenges, the UN agency highlights the threat to women's and girls' reproductive rights posed by emergencies caused by conflict or climate disasters.

About 35 million women, girls and young people will need life-saving sexual and reproductive health services this year, as well as services to address gender-based violence, in humanitarian settings, it warns.

"Every day, more than 500 women and girls including in countries with emergency settings, die during pregnancy and childbirth, due to the absence of skilled birth attendants or emergency obstetric procedures," Ferro said.&nbsp;

India's population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019 to 1.36 billion, more than double the annual growth rate of China, according to a report by the United Nations Population Fund.

India's population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019 to 1.36 billion, more than double the annual growth rate of China, according to a report by the United Nations Population Fund. India's population in 2019 stood at 1.36 billion, growing from 942.2 million in 1994 and 541.5 million in 1969. India's population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency said in the State of World Population 2019 report. In pics: Population rise, India and the world In comparison, China's population stood at 1.42 billion in 2019, growing from 1.23 billion in 1994 and 803.6 million in 1969. China's population grew at an average annual rate of 0.5 per cent between 2010 and 2019, the report said. According to the report, in India, the total fertility rate per woman was 5.6 in 1969, dropping to 3.7 in 1994 and 2.3 in 2019. India recorded an improvement in life expectancy at birth. The life expectancy at birth in 1969 was 47 years, growing to 60 years in 1994 and 69 years in 2019. Giving a snapshot of India's population composition in 2019, the report said 27 per cent of the country's population was in the age bracket of 0-14 years and 10-24 years each, while 67 per cent of the country's population was in the 15-64 age bracket. Six per cent of the country's population was of the age 65 and above. Indicative of the improvement in the quality of India's health care system, the report noted that Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in the country dropped from 488 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1994 to 174 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015. Director of UNFPA Geneva Monica Ferro said the figures were "worrisome" and it was essential to raise the level of consent and access to vital health services for millions of women around the world. "Don't forget: each one of these numbers is a person," she said. Watch: India's population will be more than that of China by 2050 The findings, relating to women aged between 15-49 years, were published for the first time as part of the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFP) State of World Population 2019 report. The report includes, for the first time, data on women's ability to make decisions over three key areas: sexual intercourse with their partner, contraception use and health care. According to the analysis, the absence of reproductive and sexual rights has major and negative repercussions on women's education, income and safety, leaving them "unable to shape their own futures". Early marriage continues to present a major cultural obstacle to female empowerment and better reproductive rights, the UNFPA report said. "A girl who marries when she is 10 will probably leave school. And because she leaves school, she won't get the negotiating skills, and she won't get the specific skills which will allow her to then get a better-paid job," Ferro said. Those women and girls left behind "are typically poor, rural and less educated," Ferro said, adding that "two-thirds of all maternal deaths today occur in sub-Saharan Africa". Despite these concerns, the UNFPA report highlights that "untold millions" have enjoyed healthier and more productive lives in the 50 years since the agency was founded, thanks to pressure from civil society and governments to dramatically reduce unintended pregnancies and maternal deaths. Highlighting positive changes in the last half-century, the report shows that in 1969, the average number of births per woman was 4.8, compared with 2.9 in 1994, and 2.5 today. Looking ahead to future challenges, the UN agency highlights the threat to women's and girls' reproductive rights posed by emergencies caused by conflict or climate disasters. About 35 million women, girls and young people will need life-saving sexual and reproductive health services this year, as well as services to address gender-based violence, in humanitarian settings, it warns. "Every day, more than 500 women and girls including in countries with emergency settings, die during pregnancy and childbirth, due to the absence of skilled birth attendants or emergency obstetric procedures," Ferro said.

India's population grew at 1.2% average between 2010 and 2019: UN

&quot;I cannot do it without Viagra,&quot; the anonymous Afghan caller whispered into the phone, wary of being overheard by his family.

The voice on the other end of the line was soothing, professional and reassuring: &quot;Dear brother, don&#39;t be embarrassed. Your problem is not uncommon. We&#39;ll help you find a solution without potency pills.&quot;

In Afghanistan&#39;s conservative, highly gender-segregated society discussing sexual problems publicly is not just culturally frowned upon but can easily be misconstrued as a sign of perversion.

But the country&#39;s youth have found a non-judgmental friend in a government helpline that offers advice on taboo subjects -- from ways to perk up virility to erectile dysfunction and even homosexuality.

&quot;If you seek advice from friends or family members about treating impotence, you will be labelled immoral, shameless or unmanly,&quot; the caller, a young man in his 20s, told AFP after receiving expert advice.

&quot;This helpline is a blessing,&quot; he added.

Set up in 2012 with the help of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the youth helpline is run by 10 call centre consultants in Kabul &ndash;- men and women trained by a professional sexologist &ndash;- who field hundreds of calls a day from distressed Afghans.

The consultants also offer advice to the lovelorn and field queries on dark subjects such as depression and forced marriage, but about 70 per cent of the calls are about sexual dysfunction, said the centre&#39;s director Abdullah Shahed.

&quot;Young men call to talk about issues ranging from masturbation to premature ejaculation,&quot; Shahed told AFP.

&quot;And young women call to discuss contraception, broken hymens and the fear of facing their wedding night.&quot;

Viagra abuse &nbsp; 
Afghanistan&#39;s growing youth population &ndash;- the 9/11 generation, as it is known -&ndash; is often torn between modernity and tradition, between their sexual cravings and their desire to be religious puritans.

More than 60 per cent of the population is under 25, a staggering number in a country where sex education is non-existent in schools and sex counsellors are culturally dismissed as a Western concept.

Marriage is often the only outlet for pent-up sexual desires, as dating or any social co-mingling of the sexes is frowned upon. But many young people cannot afford the steep bride price, a sort of reverse dowry that men pay to the girl&#39;s family.

Sexual frustration and hormonal rage are silent but pervasive problems, with some experts linking them to the violent aggression tearing the country apart.

&quot;Sex problems often lead to domestic abuse, second wives (polygamy) and separation,&quot; Shahed said. &quot;We try to reassure young and women there is always a way out. They are not alone.&quot;

The Afghan health ministry also set up &quot;youth friendly&quot; clinics in the Afghan capital last year, which offer face-to-face sessions with counsellors on subjects including sex. That they are busting taboos is evident in the growing number of women visiting them.

&quot;I was unable to talk about my problems to my mother or my sister,&quot; 21-year-old Rayhana told AFP at one such clinic in Kabul. &quot;But here I can talk openly.&quot;

Among other things, the call centre and clinics seek to warn young Afghans about the dangers of sex addiction, unprotected intercourse and Viagra abuse.

The little blue pill &ndash;- known locally by myriad names such as &quot;cobra&quot;, &quot;rocket&quot; and even &quot;family boosting tablet&quot; -&ndash; was unknown to many Afghans before the US invasion in late 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime.

But it is now in high demand in the country.

Such is its popularity in post-Taliban Afghanistan that it was reported the CIA, in an unusual incentive, were offering the potency drug to win over Afghan warlords and chieftains in the war against insurgents.

&nbsp;&#39;Spreading immorality&#39;&nbsp; 
&quot;We advise our callers not to turn to Viagra or opium for their sexual problems,&quot; Shahed said. &quot;Instead we ask them to treat their anxiety and adopt a healthy lifestyle.&quot;

Often, another forbidden subject comes up in the discussions &ndash;- homosexuality, which is demonised as a deviant sexual behaviour, prohibited in Islam.

An oft repeated query from callers is: &quot;Is there a cure for homosexuality?&quot;

&quot;Once a lesbian called and complained of depression because her partner was getting married,&quot; Shahed said.

Abdullah said there was little his counsellors could do except try to help the callers find ways to think about and understand their predicament, with questions like &quot;Do you think you can continue living as a lesbian in Afghanistan?&quot;

The program is struggling against the prevalent cultural conservatism.

When Afghan health officials linked to the program recently visited Kabul University for a youth awareness campaign, a number of students angrily accused them of promoting immorality.

&quot;We tried to explain to the students that the program is in accordance with sharia law and there is nothing un-Islamic about it,&quot; said Afghan health ministry official Sayed Alisha Alawi.

&quot;We face an uphill task. Many people believe having a healthy discussion about sex is equal to spreading immorality,&quot; he told AFP.

(AFP)

The government helpline offers advice on taboo subjects, from ways to perk up virility to erectile dysfunction and even homosexuality

"I cannot do it without Viagra," the anonymous Afghan caller whispered into the phone, wary of being overheard by his family. The voice on the other end of the line was soothing, professional and reassuring: "Dear brother, don't be embarrassed. Your problem is not uncommon. We'll help you find a solution without potency pills." In Afghanistan's conservative, highly gender-segregated society discussing sexual problems publicly is not just culturally frowned upon but can easily be misconstrued as a sign of perversion. But the country's youth have found a non-judgmental friend in a government helpline that offers advice on taboo subjects -- from ways to perk up virility to erectile dysfunction and even homosexuality. "If you seek advice from friends or family members about treating impotence, you will be labelled immoral, shameless or unmanly," the caller, a young man in his 20s, told AFP after receiving expert advice. "This helpline is a blessing," he added. Set up in 2012 with the help of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the youth helpline is run by 10 call centre consultants in Kabul –- men and women trained by a professional sexologist –- who field hundreds of calls a day from distressed Afghans. The consultants also offer advice to the lovelorn and field queries on dark subjects such as depression and forced marriage, but about 70 per cent of the calls are about sexual dysfunction, said the centre's director Abdullah Shahed. "Young men call to talk about issues ranging from masturbation to premature ejaculation," Shahed told AFP. "And young women call to discuss contraception, broken hymens and the fear of facing their wedding night." Viagra abuse Afghanistan's growing youth population –- the 9/11 generation, as it is known -– is often torn between modernity and tradition, between their sexual cravings and their desire to be religious puritans. More than 60 per cent of the population is under 25, a staggering number in a country where sex education is non-existent in schools and sex counsellors are culturally dismissed as a Western concept. Marriage is often the only outlet for pent-up sexual desires, as dating or any social co-mingling of the sexes is frowned upon. But many young people cannot afford the steep bride price, a sort of reverse dowry that men pay to the girl's family. Sexual frustration and hormonal rage are silent but pervasive problems, with some experts linking them to the violent aggression tearing the country apart. "Sex problems often lead to domestic abuse, second wives (polygamy) and separation," Shahed said. "We try to reassure young and women there is always a way out. They are not alone." The Afghan health ministry also set up "youth friendly" clinics in the Afghan capital last year, which offer face-to-face sessions with counsellors on subjects including sex. That they are busting taboos is evident in the growing number of women visiting them. "I was unable to talk about my problems to my mother or my sister," 21-year-old Rayhana told AFP at one such clinic in Kabul. "But here I can talk openly." Among other things, the call centre and clinics seek to warn young Afghans about the dangers of sex addiction, unprotected intercourse and Viagra abuse. The little blue pill –- known locally by myriad names such as "cobra", "rocket" and even "family boosting tablet" -– was unknown to many Afghans before the US invasion in late 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime. But it is now in high demand in the country. Such is its popularity in post-Taliban Afghanistan that it was reported the CIA, in an unusual incentive, were offering the potency drug to win over Afghan warlords and chieftains in the war against insurgents. 'Spreading immorality' "We advise our callers not to turn to Viagra or opium for their sexual problems," Shahed said. "Instead we ask them to treat their anxiety and adopt a healthy lifestyle." Often, another forbidden subject comes up in the discussions –- homosexuality, which is demonised as a deviant sexual behaviour, prohibited in Islam. An oft repeated query from callers is: "Is there a cure for homosexuality?" "Once a lesbian called and complained of depression because her partner was getting married," Shahed said. Abdullah said there was little his counsellors could do except try to help the callers find ways to think about and understand their predicament, with questions like "Do you think you can continue living as a lesbian in Afghanistan?" The program is struggling against the prevalent cultural conservatism. When Afghan health officials linked to the program recently visited Kabul University for a youth awareness campaign, a number of students angrily accused them of promoting immorality. "We tried to explain to the students that the program is in accordance with sharia law and there is nothing un-Islamic about it," said Afghan health ministry official Sayed Alisha Alawi. "We face an uphill task. Many people believe having a healthy discussion about sex is equal to spreading immorality," he told AFP. (AFP)

Sex, love, libido: Helpline brings succour to Afghan youth

By improving girls&#39; health and sex education, the developing economies of the world can forfeit an extra $21 billion (19 billion euros), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said today.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;Over the next 15 years alone, developing countries together stand to gain or forfeit at least $21 billion, depending on whether or not they invest in the well-being, education, and independence of their 10-year-old girls today,&quot; the UN agency was quoted as saying by international news agency AFP.

&nbsp;

&#39;16 million girls will never start school&#39;

As it launched its latest study in London, UNFPA highlighted that girls in developing countries are less likely than boys to complete schooling because of various factors including &#39;forced marriage&#39;, &#39;child labour&#39; and &#39;female genital mutilation&#39;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The study points out that &nbsp;girls are currently less likely to be enrolled in secondary education in Arab countries and most of Africa &mdash; home to 70 per cent of the world&#39;s 10-year-olds. It also points out that sixteen million girls aged between six and 11 (twice the number of boys) &quot;will never start school&quot;.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

&quot;For 10-year-old girls, a potential tripling of their lifetime income is at stake. For the societies the girls are a part of, the reduction of poverty is at stake,&quot; said the report.

&nbsp;

Stressing on the fact that a majority of the girls fail to finish their education after getting married in early adolescence,the UNFPA urged countries to impose a minimum age of marriage of 18. According to the agency, an estimated 47,700 girls get married before that age.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;When the right policies and institutions are in place to build young people&#39;s human capital, a developing country can see dramatic economic growth... leading to a demographic dividend, a unique opportunity for economic progress and poverty reduction&quot;.

&nbsp;

&quot;Access to contraceptives for adolescents and women of childbearing age is crucial.&quot; The study gave India and China as examples of the progress possible if developing countries harnessed their youthful populations, AFP reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

Developing nations need to invest in well-being, education, and independence of their 10-year-old girls, says UN's latest study

By improving girls' health and sex education, the developing economies of the world can forfeit an extra $21 billion (19 billion euros), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said today. "Over the next 15 years alone, developing countries together stand to gain or forfeit at least $21 billion, depending on whether or not they invest in the well-being, education, and independence of their 10-year-old girls today," the UN agency was quoted as saying by international news agency AFP. '16 million girls will never start school' As it launched its latest study in London, UNFPA highlighted that girls in developing countries are less likely than boys to complete schooling because of various factors including 'forced marriage', 'child labour' and 'female genital mutilation'. The study points out that girls are currently less likely to be enrolled in secondary education in Arab countries and most of Africa — home to 70 per cent of the world's 10-year-olds. It also points out that sixteen million girls aged between six and 11 (twice the number of boys) "will never start school". A majority of the girls fail to finish their education after getting married in early adolescence, and UNFPA urged countries to impose a minimum age of marriage of 18. × "For 10-year-old girls, a potential tripling of their lifetime income is at stake. For the societies the girls are a part of, the reduction of poverty is at stake," said the report. Stressing on the fact that a majority of the girls fail to finish their education after getting married in early adolescence,the UNFPA urged countries to impose a minimum age of marriage of 18. According to the agency, an estimated 47,700 girls get married before that age. "When the right policies and institutions are in place to build young people's human capital, a developing country can see dramatic economic growth... leading to a demographic dividend, a unique opportunity for economic progress and poverty reduction". "Access to contraceptives for adolescents and women of childbearing age is crucial." The study gave India and China as examples of the progress possible if developing countries harnessed their youthful populations, AFP reported. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Developing economies can win extra $21 bn in 15 years by investing in girl child: UN