United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

The United Nations Population Fund (also known as the United Nations Fund for Population Activities or UNFPA) is a United Nations agency that focuses on reproductive and sexual health. The organization originally focused on the gathering of data regarding maternal and child health, but in 1994, the organization transitioned into providing funding, education, and other resources to promote changes to reproductive health policies for United Nations member countries. 1

Read More

At-A-Glance

Type: Government Agency, Other
Issue Areas: Healthcare Policy
Website: www.unfpa.org
Type:

United Nations agency

Formation:

1967

Executive Director:

Diene Keita

Budget (2024):

Revenue – $1.63 Billion

Expenses – $1.52 Billion 2

Location: New York, NY View on map

Contents

    Background

    The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly known as the United Nations Trust Fund for Population Activities, is a United Nations agency that focuses on reproductive and sexual health. The organization was founded in 1967 and was recognized as a permanent United Nations entity in 1971. 3

    UNFPA began as a part of the United Nations Development Fund, with the directive of improving reproductive and maternal healthcare policies. The organization was reallocated to be a permanent United Nations entity under the UN General Assembly in 1971. 1

    After the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the organization transitioned to providing funding, education, and other resources to change UN member states’ reproductive health policies. 1

    In 2018, UNFPA announced several new goals such as ending preventable maternal deaths, unmet family planning needs, and gender-based violence and enabling “governments to plan for changing population needs.” 1 3

    Projects funded by the UNFPA include a campaign to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and a campaign to help prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS. UNFPA also works with governments and other partners “to support adaptation and resilience to climate change,” while putting “women and girls at the center of these efforts.” 1 4

    UNFPA, under the “emergencies” tab on its website, lists “Occupied Palestinian Territory.” The organization claims that millions of people are suffering since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, adding “this comes on top of decades of occupation and recurring cycles of violence.” 5

    United States Funding

    The United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) has received criticism over the role of the United States in funding the group due to allegations that the group assisted Chinese “coercive family planning” policies. Under the Kemp-Kasten Amendment, the United States is forbidden from aiding organizations that support or are involved with “coercive family planning” programs. 6

    The George W. Bush Administration prohibited funding to the UNFPA from 2002 through 2008 under the Kemp-Kasten Amendment. Following this, in 2009 then-President Barack Obama announced the United States would provide $50 million in funding to the UNFPA while also signing the Consolidated Appropriations Act in 2010 to provide an additional $55 million the group. The Obama administration also requested an additional $50 million for U.S. contributions to UNFPA in 2011. 6

    In 2017, the first Trump administration withdrew $32.5 million in funding from UNFPA, citing the Kemp-Kasten Amendment. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) reintroduced the No Taxpayer Funding for the United Nations Population Fund Act in January 2025, claiming it would prevent funding to “an international program complicit in China’s abusive population-control programs, which included forced abortions and the forced sterilization of women.” 7

    The second Trump administration denied future funding to the UNFPA in 2025 in under the Kemp-Kasten Amendment. 8

    Affiliated Organizations

    UNFPA claims to works with corporate partners to improve environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) standards, as well as to promote “inclusivity” with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) teams. 9

    USA for UNFPA, formerly Friends of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (Friends of UNFPA), is the U.S.-based support nonprofit for the UNFPA. The New York-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit uses its funds to support programs of the UN Population Fund related to abortion, birth control, and family planning. 10

    UNFPA also supports the SWAN Foundation, a left-of-center organization that builds up national and local sex-worker initiatives. The SWAN Foundation has also received funding from the Open Society Foundations, the grant making foundation of billionaire philanthropist George Soros. 11

    Financials

    The United Nations Population Fund reported total revenue of $1.63 billion in 2024, while its expenses amounted to around $1.52 billion that year. 2

    According to the UNFPA website, the United States provided just over $30.5 million in core funding and just under $255.9 million in non-core funding in 2024. UNFPA listed the United States as its top government partner for that year. 12

    Second to the United States was the United Kingdom, which provided UNFPA with just over $10.4 million in core funding and just under $142.9 million in non-core funding in 2024. 12

    Contact InfluenceWatch to report errors, suggest edits, or provide tips for additional profiles.

    Contact Us

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. Ursu, Sam. “A brief history of the UNFPA.” June 30, 2023. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.developmentaid.org/news-stream/post/163931/a-brief-history-of-the-unfpa.
    2. “Annual Report 2024.” United Nations Population Fund. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.unfpa.org/annual-report.
    3. “About us.” United Nations Population Fund. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.unfpa.org/about-us
    4. “Climate change.” United Nations Population Fund. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.unfpa.org/climate-change.
    5. “Occupied Palestinian territory.” United Nations Population Fund. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.unfpa.org/occupied-palestinian-territory.
    6. Service, Congressional Research. “The U.N. Population Fund: Background and the U.S. Funding Debate.” EveryCRSReport.com. July 15, 2010. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL32703.html.
    7. “Rep. Roy reintroduces legislation to permanently prohibit funding for the UNFPA.” Representative Chip Roy. January 24, 2025. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-reintroduces-legislation-permanently-prohibit-funding-unfpa.
    8. “UNFPA calls on US to reconsider ban on future funding.” UN News. May 9, 2025. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/05/1163091.
    9. “Strategic Partnerships.” United Nations Population Fund. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.unfpa.org/strategic-partnerships/corporate-partners.
    10. “About Us.” USA for UNFPA. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.usaforunfpa.org/aboutus/.
    11. “Our supporters and partners – SWAN.” Accessed March 30, 2026. https://swannet.org/swan-supporters-partners/index.html
    12. “Strategic Partnerships.” United Nations Population Fund. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.unfpa.org/strategic-partnerships/government-partners.