EU Statement: UNFPA Executive Board Segment
Madam President, Madam Executive Director,
I am delivering this statement on behalf of the EU as a donor.
First, I would like to thank the Executive Director and her entire team for their dedication in promoting rights and choices for all, leaving no one behind.
I commend your work in delivering on the promises of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development. The EU, too, remains committed to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights in this context.
We highly appreciate our existing cooperation with UNFPA, and we are proud to have been a major contributor to its non-core resources and a strong supporter of its humanitarian efforts in recent years.
Madam President,
UNFPA’s work, not least the strengthening of its normative dimensions, is key for helping us all achieve on the 2030 Agenda and in responding to the multiple intersecting crises outlined today.
The last years have been marked by increasing needs in the midst of a pandemic that risks reversing years of progress in sustainable development, and emerging and protracted human-made and natural disasters, compounded by the effects of climate change. UNFPA continues to play an increasingly critical role in contexts such as in Yemen and Afghanistan, or in the midst of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine.
I am also pleased to inform you that the European Commission is developing a new EU Global Health Strategy, and that the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights has been already raised various times in its ongoing consultation process. We would also be most grateful for inputs from partners and stakeholders, such as UNFPA.
Madam President,
During this session, the board will consider important topics that contribute to UNFPA’s delivery on its goals.
We welcome the report on the structured funding dialogue. Sufficient and predictable funding is indeed fundamental for the realisation of the transformational change we have committed to achieve in the Decade of Action towards 2030.
And while recognizing the challenges at hand, we commend UNFPA and donors for having maintained a healthy resource situation of UNFPA in 2021, with both core and non-core funding above the strategic plan targets. We recognize the importance of core resources, of flexible thematic funding and of a broad contributor base. UNFPA’s work in the area of domestic resource mobilization remains pivotal for supporting national ownership and real sustainable change in the long term, also with an eye to the uncertain funding outlook.
We also welcome the positive trend in investment in gender equality and women’s empowerment. Women and girls must have the power to exercise their rights.
The Executive Board will also consider several country programmes, which illustrate the significance of UNFPA’s presence on the ground, including in crises. UNFPA’s country level presence must be well resourced to deliver.
Finally yet importantly, we welcome the report of the Office of Audit and Investigation Services (OAIS).
Madam President,
In the midst of the pushback on UNFPA’s mandate and the pressing needs for its development and humanitarian work, we need a more vocal and agile UNFPA than ever.
Rest assured, you can count on the EU’s continued support.
Thank you