8 Billion 8 Billion 8 Billion: A World of Infinite Possibilities On 15 November, the world will mark a major milestone as the world population reaches 8 billion Asia and Africa drove much of that growth and is expected to drive the next billion in 2037, while Europe’s contribution will be negative due to declining population.The regional classifications are based on the geographic regions defined under the Standard Country or Area Codes for Statistical Use (known as M49) of the United Nations Statistics Division.The populations of 61 countries or areas are projected to decrease by 1 per cent or more between 2022 and 2050, owing to sustained low levels of fertility and, in some cases, elevated rates of emigration.” “More than half of the projected increase in the global population up to 2050 will be concentrated in eight countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United Republic of Tanzania.And not just a privileged few whose circumstance of birth was down to chance but as many people as possible, from the person in the densely packed urban centre to the person in the remotest corner of earth, old to young, rich to poor, with and without disability, all gender expressions and sexual orientations.Without rights and choices, our health suffers, our dignity disintegrates, our potential lays dormant, our contributions never materialize, our lives shrink."