Core funding from Sweden supports flexibility and long-term planning to achieve results

12 Jun 2018

UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Dereje Wordofa (second from right), Swedish Deputy Permanent Representative Irina Schoulgin Nyoni (center), and Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed (third from left), at the signing ceremony, with (from left) UNDP Associate Administrator Tegegnework Gettu, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, and OCHA Coordination and Response Director John Ging. © UNFPA/Usenabasi Esiet

The Government of Sweden has signed a four-year commitment to fund UNFPA’s core resources. Between 2018 and 2021, UNFPA will receive over SEK 2.46 billion, or over $286 million, in unearmarked funding.

This contribution gives UNFPA flexible, predictable funding that can be used to address countries’ unique needs – thereby supporting UNFPA’s ability to achieve its mandate to end unmet need for family planning, preventable maternal deaths, and gender-based violence and harmful practices.

The agreement was signed today at the Permanent Mission of Sweden in New York City, together with multi-year core funding commitments to UNDP, UNICEF and UN Women. The four organizations released a joint statement welcoming the contributions and emphasizing the critical importance of core funding in sustaining their work.

Ambassador Irina Schoulgin Nyoni, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations, underscored that these contributions are an expression of Sweden’s support for the 2030 Agenda and for the Secretary-General’s “bold initiative to reform, that also needs our bold support.”

“This requires innovation, takes a bit of risk,” she said, “and we hope others will join us.”

Sweden’s commitment “sets the bar for everyone,” said Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, also present at the signing. “It’s a good investment to carry the SDG agenda.”

During the ceremony, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Dereje Wordofa acknowledged Sweden’s longstanding political and financial support to UNFPA, which has underpinned strong results for women and adolescent girls around the world.

Between 2014 and 2017, he noted, Sweden’s overall contribution helped prevent close to 1.4 million unsafe abortions, reached close to 1.5 million women and girls in humanitarian crises with sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence prevention services, and made it possible for over 760,000 pregnancies and deliveries to be assisted by UNFPA-supported midwives.

This new commitment, Mr. Wordofa emphasized, is the type of initiative that UNFPA has been advocating as part of its Structured Financing Dialogue with the Executive Board.

Coming early in the implementation of UNFPA’s Strategic Plan for 2018-2021, this contribution will enable the organization to plan longer-term, adapt to changing circumstances and ensure that its programmes reach women and girls most in need.

“It’s a game-changer and it’s a confidence-builder” for UNFPA, said Mr. Wordofa.