The annual presentation of the State of the World Population Report in Berlin is among the highlights of our information work. DSW is the editor of the German version of the State of the World Population Report issued every year by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The State of the World Population Report focuses on a different current demographic topic every year. Through our media work, we bring related issues into the national newspapers, radio and TV.

Another flagship publication of DSW is the annual DSW Data Report. The report provides up-to-date figures on all important indicators of population development for over 180 countries and the individual regions of the world: from the latest population figures, birth rates and life expectancy up to the number of people living with HIV/AIDS. With a circulation of more than 20,000 copies, we reach for example teachers and students, stakeholders and political decision-makers. Our offer includes an easily accessible online database containing all the figures from the data report. Another important event is the presentation of the current UN World Population Prospects. Every two years, the UN population division publishes its latest estimates on the future development of the world's population. DSW presents these estimates in Germany at the same time. In May 2011, DSW's Executive Director Renate Bähr presented the latest figures together with our board member Professor Thomas Büttner, Assistant Director and Chief of the Population Studies Branch of the Population Division.

"Mothers' Night" - Sensitizing on maternal health issues

Mothers' Night is an initiative launched by DSW in 2008 to increase awareness of the high global maternal mortality in advance of Mother's Day. We successfully brought on board nine further large organizations including CARE, Oxfam and World Vision in support of this important concern. With Mothers' Night, we call on the Federal Government to strengthen health systems in developing countries through investments in the training of healthcare professionals and to advocate universal access to sexual and reproductive health by 2015.

Journalists' award

Further to this, DSW regularly confers the "World Population" journalists’ award in recognition of outstanding contributions pointing to the close correlation between population growth, the fight against poverty and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in developing countries.