First of all, may I wish you a happy and healthy life filled with auspiciousness. It is a great pleasure for me to have this opportunity to address this auspicious gathering on the occasion of the Commemoration of the World Population Day which falls today. It is the fourteenth successive time Myanmar is observing the World Population Day, underlining our commitment to the goals, objectives and activities of the United Nations. Countries all over the world will also be marking the day with celebrations and special events to raise awareness of the population related issues facing the world today. This year we celebrate the World Population Day with the theme "1 billion adolescents: the right to health, information and services".

It is most appropriate that we devote our attention to adolescents of the world. The population of the world is currently estimated at 6.3 billion. Out of this population, over 1 billion are young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Most of them live in the developing countries and teenage population is estimated at over 550 million. Unfortunately, many of the adolescents in the world cannot enjoy the right to good health or get necessary information and services. Most adolescents and youths have limited knowledge about their bodies and are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections, substance abuse, exploitation and violence.

In the world today, AIDS has become the most devastating disease yet faced by humanity striking on average 14,000 men, women and children daily. More than 60 million people have been infected and AIDS has already killed more than 20 million people. About 50 per cent of the HIV infections occurred among young people between the age of 15 and 24, many of whom suffered the disease before they are 20. But it needs not to be so. The spread of the disease can be reversed by educating, empowering and mobilizing young people. It is therefore incumbent upon the nations of the world to lay down national programmes aimed at preventing infection among young people.

Adolescents in the world, including those in the developed countries, face many economic and social ills. Use of narcotic drugs, committing of crimes, and perpetration of violence by youth gangs are some of the problems facing the nations of the world. Indeed, there had occurred instances in some western nations where teenagers had shot and killed many of their schoolmates and teachers.

As such, the time has come for all nations to take measures individually and collectively to ensure that the youths have a chance for better life.
The current population of Myanmar stands at 52.4 million and the young population between the ages of 15 and 24 is estimated to be about 9 million. With the guidance and support of the Government and the noble teachings of Myanmar's rich culture and traditions, Myanmar adolescents and youths enjoy better quality of life and higher social values than many of their brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. It is universally accepted that early marriage and early motherhood can severely curtail educational and employment opportunities and are likely to have a long term impact on the lives of young people and their children's quality of life.

However, 82 million girls in the developing countries will be marrying before they are 18. Each year, 15 million girls aged 15 to 19 gave birth and 4 million undergo abortions, often in unsafe conditions.
In the case of Myanmar, the age at marriage is generally high. Women who married in 1970s got married at age 19 and for those marriages in 1990s, the age of marriage is 22 years. The age at first birth has also risen. It has contributed in reducing the number of births occurring in the adolescent years when health risk to mothers and children are greater. The proportions of both women and men never marrying have also been increasing continuously over time. About 98 per cent of men and 93 per cent of women aged 15 to 19 years, and 77 per cent of men and 65 per cent of women aged 20 to 24 are not married.

Hence, the number of teenage girls marrying and childbearing, exposing them to health risks, is very low in our country. Myanmar considers its youths to be one of the greatest assets in the country. The Government is therefore paying great attention to the all-round development of our adolescents. While a comprehensive health programme including health education programmes for youths is promoted nation-wide, our education system is guiding our young people to the path of high moral standards as well as preparing them to meet the challenges of life.

Today, young Myanmar people are enjoying opportunities as never before to uplift their standard of living and quality of life. In this regard, I wish also to acknowledge the important role played by the United Nations agencies like the UNDP and UNFPA as well as the international and national NGOs like the Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association (MMCWA) in developing our young people. Myanmar is fully aware that adolescents and young people are important in shaping the future of the nation. Therefore, while endeavoring to promote its own nation-building development tasks, Myanmar will be enthusiastically cooperating with the nations of the world in promoting the development of young people, especially adolescents.

Myanmar is determined to continue playing an active role in population-rated programmes while strengthening its collaboration and cooperation with all nations and United Nations Agencies such as UNDP, UNFPA, WHO etc; and also with relevant local and international NGOs.

In conclusion, let us all aspire with the noble aim to promote the quality of life of the adolescents and young people and equip them with the necessary tools so that they will become leading citizens of the world. Let us also aspire to implement the lofty aims of this year's World Population Day- "1 billion adolescents: the right to health, information and services".