Key UN development agencies
Ireland works closely with UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and UN Women.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the largest UN development organisation. It also coordinates the UN development system. UNDP aims to help countries to eradicate poverty and to reduce significantly inequalities and exclusion.
Ireland provides core funding to UNDP annually. Ireland’s contribution in 2022 was €7.75 to support UNDP’s work. This work includes achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring fair elections, promoting gender equality, preventing crises, recovery from humanitarian emergencies, and supporting action by the UN in developing countries.
UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS are governed by a single Executive Board comprised of 36 members who serve on a rotating basis. Ireland is an Executive Board member in 2023.
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
UNICEF is a leading humanitarian organisation and development agency working globally for the rights and wellbeing of every child. It is an advocate for children’s rights and mobilises political will and material resources to help developing countries develop pro-child policies and deliver services for children and their families.
UNICEF is an important partner for Ireland. UNICEF plays a key role in priority areas for us, which include basic education and gender equality, maternal and child under-nutrition, HIV and AIDS, and emergency humanitarian response. In 2022, Ireland contributed €7.2 million in core funding to support UNICEF’s work.
Ireland is currently an observer of the UNICEF Executive Board. The Executive Board provides intergovernmental support and oversight to the organisation, including oversight of the implementation and delivery of UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. Ireland will be on the Bureau of the Executive Board in 2029.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) helps countries to improve sexual and reproductive health services; prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS, particularly among young people and women; empower women and girls; and develop population policies that support sustainable development and poverty eradication.
Ireland is providing core funding of €4.5 million in 2014 to support work on achieving the “three zeroes” laid out in UNFPA’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025: zero unmet need for family planning; zero preventable maternal deaths; zero gender-based violence and harmful practices.
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
UN Women is the UN organisation dedicated to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women worldwide.
UN Women is one of Ireland’s key UN partner agencies, In 2022, Ireland provided €2 million to UN Women to support the Agency’s mandate. This includes ending violence against women, political and economic empowerment of women, and strengthening the role of women in peace and security and in humanitarian emergencies.
As a long-standing core contributor to UN Women, Ireland interacts regularly with UN Woman at Executive Board meetings to ensure oversight of implementation and delivery of the Strategic Plan.