United Nations : The United Nations is considering a major institutional reform to strengthen its global work on gender equality and reproductive health, with a proposed merger of UN Women and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said on Thursday.
Addressing an informal plenary meeting of the General Assembly under the UN80 Initiative in New York, Mohammed said the move aims to create a unified platform combining gender equality expertise with sexual and reproductive health services to “scale impact” for women, girls and youth worldwide.
She noted that while progress has been made in advancing women’s rights — with 99 legal reforms enacted globally between 2019 and 2024 — challenges remain uneven across targets under Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 on gender equality.
Citing the 2025 Gender Snapshot, Mohammed warned that nearly 351 million women and girls could still be living in poverty by 2030 if current trends continue. “This is not inevitable — it reflects systemic neglect, stalled investment and political choices,” she said.
The proposed merger seeks to enhance efficiency and expand reach, combining the operational presence of both agencies across 150 countries and territories. According to Mohammed, the unified entity would deliver integrated support — from combating gender-based violence to promoting women’s leadership and autonomy.
The move is also expected to simplify engagement for civil society and development partners by providing a single entry point for collaboration and advocacy.
Recalling past reforms, Mohammed highlighted that the General Assembly had successfully consolidated four separate bodies into UN Women, leading to improved outcomes. The current proposal, she said, builds on that model while ensuring continuity of mandates and strengthening delivery systems.
The UN will now seek feedback from Member States before finalising the detailed merger assessment.
“The status quo is not an option,” Mohammed stressed, underlining the urgency to act amid evolving global challenges, including economic uncertainty and the digital divide.
If approved, the merger could mark one of the most significant structural changes in the UN’s gender and development architecture in recent years.
