The United Nations General Assembly established the United Nations Population Award in resolution 36/201 on 17 December 1981. The Award is presented annually to an individual or individuals, or to an institution or institutions or to any combination thereof, for the most outstanding contribution to the awareness of population questions or to their solutions.
The Committee for the United Nations Population Award selects the laureates of the Award. The Committee is composed of 10 representatives of Members States of the United Nations (Côte d’Ivoire, The Republic of Fiji, Republic of The Gambia, Iceland, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Liberia, Panama, Romania, and Trinidad and Tobago) elected by the Economic and Social Council for a term of three years (2019-2021).
Nominations
Written nominations for the Award may be received from:
a) Governments of Members States;
b) Intergovernmental organizations engaged in population-related activities;
c) Population-related non-governmental organizations having consultative status with the United Nations;
d) University professors of population or population-related institutions; and
e) Laureates of the Award.
Each nominator is asked to submit no more than one nomination, either for an individual or for an institution.
Only nominations which provide the information requested on the United Nations Population Award data sheet will be considered valid. The data sheet calls for detailed information describing the population-related activities of both the nominator and nominee. Detailed information concerning the nominee, whether an institution or an individual, is needed in order to ensure full consideration by the Committee for the United Nations Population Award.
The information required includes general background, specific information about population activities and a full description and assessment of the nominee’s contribution to the awareness of population questions or to their solutions. Copies of the data sheet may be obtained by writing to Dr. Natalia Kanem, Secretary, Committee for the United Nations Population Award, c/o United Nations Population Fund, 605 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10158, USA. It can also be accessed online at www.unfpa.org/united-nations-population-award.
Nominations for the 2025 Award will be accepted until 31 December 2024. Nominations received after the deadline will be considered for the 2026 Award. Each award consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize.
