Discussions on the merger of UN Women and UNFPA
The 70th UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) is taking place at the UN Headquarters with the theme “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, and addressing structural barriers” (9 – 19 March).
Mindful of the discussions around the UN80 Initiative on UN reform, many Member States and civil society organisations focused on the proposed merger of UN Women and UN Population Fund (UNFPA). This briefing captures some of the dynamics in the nexus of the UN80 Initiative and CSW70 in the conversations at the UN.
One vote short of consensus at 70th CSW
The 70th UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) adopted its Agreed Conclusions (E/CN.6/2026/L.2) by a recorded vote of 37 in favour to 1 against, with 6 abstentions – a document typically adopted by consensus.
At the opening, UN Secretary-General set the scene for the current state of the world for women:
“We still live in a male-dominated world and a male-dominated culture. Gender equality is — and always has been — a question of power…. This year’s theme cuts to the heart of the struggle for equality: access to justice. Here we are, well into the twenty-first century, yet justice remains a distant dream for millions upon millions of women and girls….
[J]ustice is the engine for sustainable development. When women and girls can claim their rights — to inherit property, to fair work, to legal identity, to land — entire societies move forward….
[J]ustice is the foundation of peace and security. When women participate meaningfully in peace processes and transitional justice, agreements last longer and societies heal more deeply, but the world continues to fall short….
[J]ustice is the guardian of human rights and human dignity. When a woman’s testimony is dismissed — when a girl is denied her day in court — when laws discriminate or police fail to act — human rights erode for everyone….
[J]ustice is essential to a safe and inclusive digital future. If gender equality is a question of power, then we must look at one of the most powerful industries on Earth — technology, and increasingly, artificial intelligence….
[J]ustice is essential for climate action. Women and girls — especially in rural and marginalized communities — bear the brunt of climate devastation. When laws deny women equal rights to land, water, resources and environmental decision-making, climate resilience collapses.”
SG’s full statement: text | video
UNSG Town Hall Meeting with Civil Society (10 March)
At the Town Hall with the UN Secretary-General during CSW70, many CSOs expressed concern at the proposed UNFPA & UN Women merger. The Secretary-General replied:
“First of all, UN Women was not born out of nothing. It was born out of the merger of three organizations. One of the points that for me, is essential is to have powerful organizations in a context in which we have a very large dispersion of our efforts….
One of the conditions that we put for this merger is that the mandates are not changed, which means the merger is not a merger of mandates. It’s a merger of organizations integrally maintaining the mandates of the two organizations. The central question is not how things are organized, [but] that the mandates are maintained….
When you have two organizations, you have two back offices, you have the administrative sectors that are common, that are separate, and a number of other things that have nothing to do with the action of the organizations, but that correspond to duplication….
We are going to put in common a number of other functions to liberate resources for the exercise of the mandates of the organizations. This is one of the objectives we have with this merger, a more powerful organization, and at the same time, being able to transfer resources from administrative functions [for] the effective exercise of the maintenance on the ground.”
SG’s full statement: video
See also: As-Is Analysis: A Baseline for the UNFPA – UN Women Strategic Merger Assessment & UN80 Initiative: FAQ on UN Women x UNFPA
Member State statements on the UN Women & UNFPA merger from the UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board February meetings
Uruguay: “[W]e would like to know whether the report that was mandated would limit itself to examining opportunities and challenges of a possible merger, or whether it will also include a comparison with other alternatives to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of both entities without necessarily carrying out a merger. In terms of the proposal to merge UN Women and UNFPA, we would like to warn that any reform of this nature will require negotiating resolution in the GA. The risk of reopening or weakening existing mandates, especially in the current political context, is real and should not be underestimated. We are worried that this process could undermine advances that we would like to protect, especially when it comes to our work on the ground. It could also weaken or make invisible the fundamental role that both agencies play. In that sense, we would like to stress the importance of having greater information available as well as independent evaluations that include the voice of specialists from civil society with a broad experience working on the ground alongside UN Women and UNFPA. They can provide valuable and evidence-based information so that states can make informed decisions.”
Germany: “Against this backdrop, we regret that no detailed and structured information on relevant discussions under Workstreams 3 was made available for comment within the agreed timelines to support substantive discussion under this agenda item. This includes the assessments of potential mergers, other agency-related work packages, as well as relevant decision points. [W]e call therefore for a more inclusive, timely, and transparent consultation process with both Executive Boards and with civil society. A merger dividend needs to be grounded on comprehensive, evidence-based assessments of potential implications for mandates, governance structures, funding, staffing, and operational delivery. We also request the task team to examine alternatives to the merger proposals, building upon already ongoing reforms and measures. It is key that the strength and integrity of mandates, particularly those related to gender, SRHR, and demographic change, are fully preserved.”
France: “[B]ringing together UNDP and UNOPS can open the way toward interesting synergies between planning and implementation if we preserve operational capacities, expertise, and the added value of these two agencies. When it comes to UNFPA and UN Women, France will pay close attention so that mandates on parity and protecting the rights of girls and women, I’m specifically speaking of sexual health and reproductive rights, are fully protected.”
For more, see: Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS (First regular session 2026)