Nepal to host 6th Asian Population Conference

Nepal is set to host the 6th Asian Population Association (APA) Conference from Nov 27 to 30, 2024, at Hotel Soaltee in Kathmandu. This event, organized by the APA in collaboration with Tribhuvan University’s Central Department of Population Studies (CDPS), will focus on critical demographic issues such as migration, aging, and fertility, alongside emerging topics like climate-induced displacement.  

Dr Bijaya Mani Devkota, a statistician and associate professor at CDPS, highlighted Nepal’s unique demographic challenges, with an annual population growth rate of 1.9 percent reshaped by migration and declining birth rates. Another CDPS professor, Dr Uddhav Sigdel, emphasized the imbalance in Nepal’s population distribution, with 54 percent of the population concentrated in the Terai, which constitutes only 23 percent of the country’s land.  

The conference will also address the impact of climate change on population dynamics, with rising temperatures in the Terai and frequent natural disasters driving internal migration to the hills and mountains.  

Padma Prasad Khatiwada, representing the National Organizing Committee, noted that foreign participants would receive extensive support, including free SIM cards for seamless communication, which can be collected at the APA Help Desk at Tribhuvan International Airport.  

With policymakers, researchers, and academics from across Asia attending, the conference aims to deliver actionable recommendations for addressing demographic challenges. Experts believe it will bolster Nepal’s role in shaping regional population policies while addressing pressing national issues.