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The world we live in

World Population Day came and went, almost unnoticed or recognised, a week ago, on 11 July.

The UNFPA put out a Statement to mark the day. It includes these disturbing and shocking statistics:

"....today millions of young people are threatened by poverty, illiteracy, risks of pregnancy and childbirth, and HIV/AIDS. Today, more than 500 million people aged 15 to 24 live on less than $2 per day; 96 million young women in developing countries do not know how to read or write; and 14 million adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 become mothers every year. Every day, 6,000 young people are newly infected with HIV."

Read the full Statement here - and reflect on how the so-called "civilised" countries of the world directs their resources. Just last week it was reported in the course of a US Senate Committee hearing that the US is spending a staggering $3 billion a week on the Iraq War.

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