The United States of America stands to uplift the lives of millions of women and girls, becoming a top UNFPA donor

One year after it resumed its funding, the United States of America has become UNFPA’s largest bilateral humanitarian supporter in 2021 to improve the lives of women and girls around the world. 

With a record contribution of more than $90 million to UNFPA in total for the 2021 fiscal year, the Government of the US, through the Department of State and USAID, is contributing more than it ever did to our life-saving work. This funding is all the more welcome as UNFPA did not receive financial support from the United States over the past four years. 

This generous total contribution is ​​a testament of the commitment of the US to allocate resources where they achieve the greatest impact. With core resources, UNFPA can adapt faster to changing situations and respond with agility, particularly during emergencies.

This renewed partnership is broad and extends to diverse key areas of UNFPA’s work, including our humanitarian and development programmes, as well as our work to respond and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has given rise to a shadow pandemic of gender-based violence.

“We are delighted to have the US back as a major political and financial supporter,” said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem. 

Top humanitarian partner to UNFPA in 2021

As UNFPA’s largest humanitarian supporter, the United States of America is an indispensable partner to our work, providing life-saving services and protection to millions of women and girls in 61 countries.

In 2021, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) supported UNFPA’s humanitarian response in more than 20 countries around the world, including in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Syria, Yemen and across Latin America and the Caribbean. 

“Supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights, and preventing gender-based violence, is at the top of my agenda.” said US Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at the recent launch event of the UNFPA Humanitarian Action Overview 2022. “Your work on all of these issues — particularly on providing access to maternal health care and contraception, which is so often underfunded and under-prioritized — is absolutely mission critical.”

In November 2021, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield visited UNFPA’s reproductive health and maternal clinics in Zaatari Camp in Jordan and witnessed the crucial work of our teams, offering a safe space for women and children to seek medical support. 

In reflecting on her visit at the Humanitarian launch, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said: “What I saw in Jordan was living, breathing proof of just how important your work is. And it made me so proud that President Biden resumed funding to UNFPA, and that we are this year’s top humanitarian donor to your work.” 
 

The US also, for the first time, contributed to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership with $5 million, ensuring that modern contraceptives and lifesaving maternal health medicines reach women and adolescent girls who need access to family planning and safe delivery in countries affected by humanitarian emergencies.