Every member of our human family has the right to make free and informed choices about their health, bodies and futures. This right should be the starting point for all conversations about population. Population is, after all, about people, about creating the conditions for all 8 billion of us to live freely and fully, equal in dignity and rights, on a healthy, safe and prosperous planet. When we invest in people and their potential, in their rights and choices, all of humanity benefits.

This State of World Population report, produced by a group of external advisers, researchers and writers, working alongside UNFPA technical staff and editors, explores how broadening our understanding of population can lead to new solutions that build demographic resilience and help shape a more equitable and prosperous future.