New independent assessment highlights UNFPA’s progress and overall strong organizational performance

UNITED NATIONS, New York, 24 May 2014—UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, has “a clear, focused, results-oriented strategy” with management and monitoring systems that link activities and expenditures to outcomes and strategic results, according to the Multilateral Organization Performance Assessment Network (MOPAN) report published today. 

MOPAN is a network of 18 countries that share a common interest in assessing the effectiveness of the major multilateral organizations they fund. The assessments are intended to contribute to organizational learning within and among the organizations, their direct clients and partners, and other stakeholders. 

Conducted over 2017-2018, the new assessment looks at UNFPA’s organizational effectiveness and the results it achieved against its objectives. This was the third MOPAN review of UNFPA, following previous ones in 2010 and 2014.

The MOPAN report highlights a number of UNFPA strong points, including a strategic plan that is closely aligned with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It also notes UNFPA’s commitment to delivering in line with the broader UN system and to responding to partners and changing circumstances in a timely manner. As a result, external stakeholders are generally positive about UNFPA’s engagement at the country level. 

The assessment also points to areas for improvements. Those include the need for UNFPA to further leverage its unique expertise in demography and population data with additional resources and skilled staff, and to further strengthen relationships with partners at country level, in particular in fragile and humanitarian contexts. 

“The MOPAN report offers a great opportunity to engage in a constructive and frank dialogue with all our partners, foster learning, and improve our contribution to leaving no one behind,” said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem. “We are committed to using the MOPAN findings and recommendations to improve UNFPA’s effectiveness, performance and accountability for the benefit of women, girls and young people.”  

The full report, and the UNFPA management response can be found on the MOPAN website.