Panels have warned that Uganda’s rapid population growth which was estimated at 47.2 million in 2022 and growing at 3 percent per annum has serious implications on gender heath and environmental development.
However these observations were made during the just concluded conference on population Dynamics,Gender ,Health and Climate Connection held in Kampala.
This conference was organized by the National Population Council (NPC)in pattern-ship with Regenerate Africa and National Population , Health and Environment (PHE)Network.
While delivering key note address Mr Steven David Mugabi the acting Director of Environment affairs in the ministry of water and environment stated that the rapid population growth in the country was outstripping the capacity of facilities providing all services and these facilities were stressed.
He further added that with rapid population growth also increases the demand for food , shelter, water, employment as well as social services and this implies increased loss of forests, wet lands and extraction of minerals, sand, clay and medicine from the environment to meet the increasing demand for food,settlement , construction works ,energy and industrial parks.
“It means more conversion of forest resources for timber , food and fuel.it also means extraction of more resources including minerals,medicine,wildlife , sand ,clay and all these are in the environment because you want to meet the demands of increased population,” he noted.
However he added a warning that with the population growth, it has cost consequence to the environment such as degrading agricultural land , increasing soil erosion, deforestation and destruction of wetlands.
In another speech from some of the guest speaker Ms Winnie Masiko the National program coordinator of Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program in the Ministry-of Gender stated that with the high population growth leads to women’s unequal participation in decision making processes and labour markets.
She further added that these compound inequalities often prevent women from fully contributing to climate related planning policy making and implementation.
With another key note speech form the Minister of Gender, Labour and social Development Ms Betty Amongi commended the stakeholders for recognizing the need for inclusion of gender as one of the key aspects with the objectives of sharing experiences , strategies and realities of future population.
She further added that the government was committed to fast tracking commitments towards addressing issues of climate change.
“ the government is also committed to improving the quality of lives of the people of Uganda through develop strategies on education, health , Gender and violence, population and poverty reduction ,” she said.
According to the National Population Council, estimates the population of Uganda was about 47,259,000 people in 2022 and is estimated to double by mid century of 2050.
