UNFPA Nepal

 UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that extends assistance to countries at their request to help them in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

UNFPA's support to Nepal began in 1971. An evaluation of the sixth country programme, 2008-2012, cited a number of achievements. The programme helped to: (a) position UNFPA within the health-sector programme; (b) enhance the national response to gender-based violence by working with United Nations organizations and other donors; and (c) implement the population and housing census.

Within the context of the local governance and community development programme and at the Government’s request, UNFPA expanded the programme from six to 18 districts, supporting the subnational capacity for planning and managing population, gender and reproductive health programmes and strategies in districts that have made slow progress in achieving the goals of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). At the national level, UNFPA focused on national ownership, sustainability, accountability and national system-strengthening.

The current Seventh Country Programme commenced in 2013 and will end in 2017 to coincide with Government’s interim development plan for 2011-13 and sectoral strategies.. Through this programme and in partnership with the Government of Nepal, UNFPA will provide $30.5 million: $23 million from regular resources and $7.5 million through co-financing modalities and/or other resources. The country programme contributes to three outcome areas of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), 2013-2017. It will be nationally led and will employ national systems, in line with United Nations reform and in partnership with external development partners.