Joint Nordic Statement on UNFPA strategic plan 2022-2025

SECOND REGULAR SESSION 2021 Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS UNFPA Segment, August 31 2021 Item 6,
UNFPA strategic plan 2022-2025
Statement by the Nordic Countries
Delivered by
Ambassador Miia Rainne, Deputy Permanent Representative of Finland,
Chargé d'affaires

Madam President,

I deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and my own country Finland.

We align ourselves with the Joint Statement, which will be delivered by Mexico.

I would like to start by thanking UNFPA for developing your new Strategic Plan 2022- 2025 in such a transparent and participatory way. The fact that we have heard development partners and programme countries alike expressing their support for the Strategic Plan is a clear indication of its good quality and balanced approach.

Madam Executive Director, I also want to acknowledge your strong words on the importance of dialogue and building common ground and I urge the Executive Board and us all to remember that more unites us than divides us.

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Madam President,

If we ever doubted it, recent developments in the world have made it painfully clear why we need a strong and focused UNFPA. The Strategic Plan before us provides a solid programming framework and building blocks for just that.

We strongly welcome the plan’s human rights based foundation. UNFPA’s mandate comes with a responsibility to advance human rights granted to all women and girls, in particular their sexual and reproductive health and rights. The Nordics therefore also support UNFPA’s intention to strengthen its normative work in all countries where UNFPA is present.

Further, we share UNFPA’s determination to leave no one behind and reaching those furthest behind first including persons in vulnerable situations. And in that regard; we Check against delivery support the differentiated approach to prioritize support for countries that are lagging the most behind in achieving the three transformative results.

We highly value UNFPA’s role as a humanitarian actor. Your leadership role in coordinating efforts to combat gender-based violence, including against sexual violence is highly acknowledged.

Further, we share the belief that UNFPA’s three transformative results cannot be achieved without effective humanitarian interventions. UNFPA is also well positioned to bridge the gap between development and humanitarian interventions. The Nordics, therefore, also see increased investment in UNFPA’s humanitarian response capacity as a right way forward.

Overall, from our own experience we know the value of investing in gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. It brings social, economic and health benefits to both individuals and countries and is an extremely important factor in the eradication of poverty.

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In closing, let us remember the main target groups of the Strategic Plan; women, adolescents and youth.

I, therefore, call upon all to read the new Strategic Plan through the eyes of a young woman who dreams of a better future.

A future where she can decide over her own body.

A future where she will decide if, with whom and when to have a child and give birth in a safe way.

A future where she can finish her education,

A future where she will decide if, with whom and when to get married

In short, a future where she can fulfil her full potential.

The Nordics believe that the new Strategic Plan will give this young woman hope and UNFPA can count on the support of the Nordic countries in ensuring its successful implementation.

I thank you for your attention.