UN Population Fund Objectives

The United Nations Population Fund is leading global efforts to ensure that developing countries have secure supplies of reproductive health essentials, first proposed by 179 nations at the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994. With its 30 years of experience in supplying reproductive health essentials worldwide, and its continuing presence in most developing countries, UNFPA has an unparalleled comparative advantage in coordinating a worldwide production and distribution system and in keeping track of global need and use.

UNFPA has built solid credibility with governments by developing approaches specific to each country's political, social, economic and cultural situation. Its programmes seek always to build a country's capacity to meet its own needs for reproductive health services.

UN Population Fund track record:

For 10 years, UNFPA's Commodity Management Unit has studied contraceptive requirements and logistics management needs in more than 20 countries, examining policy issues; service delivery roles for public, private and NGO bodies; short-term and long-term needs; the effect of HIV/ AIDS; and strategies for financing to meet public needs. Their reports have guided policy formation everywhere.

• Coordinating with UNFPA's Procurement Section, the unit manages the Global Contraceptive Commodity Programme, a revolving fund that maintains buffer stocks of essential commodities to speed response to urgent requests from countries in emergency situations.

• The unit's role is now expanding into providing materials for maternal care and for prevention and management of reproductive tract infections and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/ AIDS, and for managing the consequences of childbirth complications and unsafe abortions.

A unique UNFPA database on donor support for contraceptives and logistics, published every year in a web-based format on www.unfpa.org, allows monitoring of supply levels worldwide and planning of responses.

• The database is being expanded to address demand-side issues and include other commodities.

"The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, 1994, highlighted the objective of universal access to reproductive health care by the year 2015. This objective includes access to reproductive health essentials - contraceptives for family planning, condoms for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections/human immunodeficiency virus (STI/ HIV) and other reproductive health commodities - all in the context of the main components of reproductive health, including family planning, maternal care, STI/HIV prevention and quality of care, with due attention to gender equality, women's empowerment and sociocultural concerns." -Dr. Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

• Analyses of the database in 2000 revealed major shortfalls that would jeopardize supplies for 2001, prompting the governments of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada to provide an additional US$80 million for reproductive health commodities.

• UNFPA has recently enhanced its capacity at headquarters and in the field, adding staff, resources and training, and developing technical and operational guidelines to ensure that the Reproductive Health Essentials strategy is integrated into all UNFPA country programmes.

UNFPA's Private Sector Initiative explores ways to make partners of governments and the commercial sector to expand access to commodities. Case studies and reports have provided valuable lessons and working models for application worldwide.

UNFPA plays a leading role worldwide.

• UNFPA continues as the world's largest supplier of reproductive health commodities to developing countries, and to those affected by emergency situations.

• Advocacy raises donor and public awareness of the growing need for commodities and support for reproductive health essentials.

• The UN Population Fund will develop and test ways to evaluate success and expand private sector involvement. UNFPA holds technical and consultative meetings with donors, private sector representatives, non-governmental organizations, country government officials and other partners to help organize and coordinate work.