Ukraine joins UNFPA's coalition of core contributors and commits to women’s and girls’ health and rights

KYIV, Ukraine - In 2021, the Government of Ukraine contributed $25,000 to UNFPA core resources. The last time Ukraine contributed to our core funding was in 2010. This renewed engagement sends a powerful signal to women, girls, and young people of Ukraine and across the world. 

Despite years-long conflict in eastern Ukraine, the government continues investing in people and their well-being. With its recent contribution, Ukraine demonstrates its commitment to UNFPA’s vision of a world with zero unmet need for family planning, zero preventable maternal deaths and zero gender-based violence. 

In addition to the conflict and “the temporarily occupied territories,” the country faces a demographic crisis, combining an extremely low fertility rate and a rapidly aging population. High mortality, poor health, poverty, inequalities, gender-based violence as well as a high prevalence of HIV are all issues the Eastern Europe country faces. 

The importance of core funding

UNFPA has been working in Ukraine since 1996 to create conditions for every young person to fulfill their potential, improve access to health and care services, combat gender stereotypes in society and provide services to survivors of gender-based violence. 

In recent years, thousands of survivors of gender-based violence affected by the conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis have benefited from crucial services to respond to their basic needs. The campaign “Break the Circle”, aimed at fostering society's intolerance towards domestic and gender-based violence, is an example of how UNFPA and Ukraine work together to combat gender-based violence and gender discrimination and stereotypes while promoting a zero-tolerance culture on gender-based violence. 

Ukraine’s investment in core resources is crucial to realizing UNFPA’s mandate everywhere, demonstrating the country’s commitment to leave no one behind and reach the furthest behind first. 

“We believe that changes start with each person, especially those left behind,” said Jaime Nadal, UNFPA Representative in Ukraine. “We are grateful to the Government of Ukraine for joining other members of the international community in support of UNFPA’s core resources, which is a timely investment for the fulfilment of the ICPD Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda worldwide as well as in Ukraine.”

UNFPA recognizes the support of all #PartnersAtCore providing critical and reliable support to ensure UNFPA has the resources to meet the needs of vulnerable women and girls around the world.