Staying in Close Contact with Governments

The overwhelming majority of UNFPA’s financial support comes from governments. Eight out of our top ten donors are European countries, and the European Union is a major contributor.

The European Liaison Offices advocate to keep reproductive health, gender equality and population issues high on the international agenda. They inform governments on a continuous basis about how their support is being put to use and follow up on questions that donors may raise about UNFPA projects, programmes and priorities. The offices also help convene major conferences and symposia in Europe involving governments and other stakeholders.

European Union support – which is not only financial, but political and strategic as well – has been essential to UNFPA’s ability to carry forward the vision of reproductive health as the cornerstone of sustainable development. In numerous public statements, the European Union has reaffirmed its commitment to the goals of ICPD. And in 2006, the EC supported the African Union conference of health ministers, which resulted in the landmark Maputo Plan of Action calling for universal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services throughout the continent.