Germany commits additional €30 million to uphold women and girls’ sexual and reproductive health during COVID-19 pandemic

The Government of Germany has increased its flexible funding by €30 million to support UNFPA’s global response to the COVID-19 crisis, ensuring that women and girls affected by the pandemic can access a wide range of life-saving sexual and reproductive health services. 

This new contribution will make Germany UNFPA’s largest current provider of unearmarked core funding. In emergencies such as the global COVID-19 crisis, core funding is critical to ensure UNFPA can respond quickly and efficiently to people in the greatest need. 

 

"Germany remains firmly committed to multilateral cooperation, the work of the UN & UNFPA."

At #HLPF Ministerial Side Event, Dr. Maria Flachsbarth announces a 30 mil. € increase to a total of 70 mil. €, making Germany the largest contributor of core funding to #UNFPA in 2020. pic.twitter.com/FmNceVcNEX

— German Mission to UN (@GermanyUN) July 15, 2020

In response to the growing crisis, UNFPA is working with trusted partners and countries, including Germany, to strengthen health systems that have been most affected by COVID-19 where UNFPA works, ensure women and girls can access sexual and reproductive health services, respond to the rising incidence of gender-based violence under lockdown, protect health workers, and strengthen supply chains for contraceptives.

The Government of Germany is a longstanding advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights, and has worked alongside UNFPA to uphold these rights, eliminate female genital mutilation, address HIV in Cameroon, support census activities in Malawi, and more. Germany is also an important contributor to UNFPA’s Maternal Health and Thematic Fund, which supports midwifery training, obstetric fistula repair surgeries, and other activities to strengthen maternal health services.