Raising awareness: Thai students putting balloons under their shirts so that they look pregnant during a sex education programme at a school in Bangkok. — AFP
THE theme of World Population Day this year fit Thailand like a glove. It was “Investing in teenage girls”. Those who conceived it clearly realised the immense benefits that accrue from empowering young women, not least of which, as national leaders around the globe have stressed, is achieving the shared goal of sustainable development.
Thailand has every reason to embrace the theme year-round. We are at a crucial juncture of our history with the emergence of a “grey society”. The birth rate here is among the lowest in Asia. The workforce is shrinking. Public healthcare costs are about to increase dramatically. Investing in the wellbeing of young women thus becomes a direct route to development that can be sustained indefinitely. To make the most of our diminishing resources, the generations about to come of age must be healthy and intelligent.
Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.
