ISLAMABAD - United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has said that at least 14,161 babies are expected to be born in Pakistan on New Year’s Day.

People around the world today (January 1) will not only celebrate the New Year but also welcome the little guests who come to their homes. According to a UNICEF report, issued here on Friday, some 371,504 children are expected to be born worldwide on the first day of 2021, of which 3.8% will be born in Pakistan. To estimate the number of births on the first day of the year, UNICEF used the daily and monthly birth estimates in the countries used in the key registration and national household surveys. 

UNICEF used the recently revised UN World Population Prospects (2019) to estimate the number of children born on January 1, 2021, and their life expectancy and their life expectancy. The first baby of 2021 will be born on New Year’s Eve in Fiji, an island country in Melanesia part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. Globally, half of all births will be in 10 countries, with Pakistan in fourth place and India having the highest number of births on New Year’s Day.

According to UNICEF, on January 1, 59,995 in India, 35,615 in China, 21,439 in Nigeria, 14,161 in Pakistan, 12,336 in Indonesia, 12,006 in Ethiopia, 10,312 in the United States and 10,312 in Egypt. 9,455, 9,236 in Bangladesh and 8,640 in the Republic of Congo are expected. The average life expectancy of newborns is estimated at about 73 years. UNICEF Representative Aida Girma-Melaku in Pakistan said that this has been a difficult year for all of us and there is probably no better way to start the New Year than to welcome new life into the world. 

“With the challenges of 2020 and the opportunities of 2021, we now have the time to make the world a better place to live. Those born today will inherit the world we began to build for them today,” Aida Girma said.