Information Density: UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) – Signal Evidence & AI Readability

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[IMG: International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict]

[H1] International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
Learn more about International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict

[IMG: Gender-based violence]

[H1] Gender-based violence
Learn more about Gender-based violence

[IMG: Crisis in Sudan]

[H1] Crisis in Sudan
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[H2] Latest

[IMG: “Women are in fear day and night”: Untold numbers suffer conflict-related sexual violence as crisis grips South Sudan]

News

[H4] “Women are in fear day and night”: Untold numbers suffer conflict-related sexual violence as crisis grips South Sudan

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[IMG: Marching for the midwives who save lives every single day]

https://youtu.be/oFoPpmRa_38
Marching for the midwives who save lives every single day

Video

[H5] Marching for the midwives who save lives every single day

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[IMG: Dignity restored and lives regained through fistula repair in rural Bangladesh]

News

[H5] Dignity restored and lives regained through fistula repair in rural Bangladesh

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[IMG: Ever heard of a menstrual hygiene kit? Miss World Africa 2025 Hasset Dereje shows you what]

https://youtu.be/2g-klRiUBIc
Ever heard of a menstrual hygiene kit? Miss World Africa 2025 Hasset Dereje shows you what's inside one

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[H5] Ever heard of a menstrual hygiene kit? Miss World Africa 2025 Hasset Dereje shows you what's inside one

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Photo stories
New life, fragile ground
Learn more about New life, fragile ground

Photo stories
Driving down maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa
Learn more about Driving down maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa

Photo stories
New era, new career paths
Learn more about New era, new career paths

[H2] Photo stories

[IMG: Newborns in a medical infant bed in a hospital room.]

[H6] New life, fragile ground
Newborns at the Bangui Paediatric Complex in the Central African Republic. All photos © UNFPA/Gaia Squarci

[IMG: A motorcycle ambulance parked up.]

[H6] Driving down maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa
All photos © Miléquêm Diarassouba

[IMG: A young woman stands in a confident pose with her arms folded in an industrial garage surrounded by paint cans.]

[H6] New era, new career paths
© UNFPA Benin/Taiwo Aina

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Latest campaigns
[H2] Annual Report 2025
2025 was fraught with challenges: deepening geopolitical divides, escalating humanitarian crises, and widening inequalities that severely strained…

Latest campaigns
[H2] We rise | GBV Dashboard
Gender-based violence is one of the world’s most pervasive human rights violations. Yet amidst their trauma, survivors rise up.

Latest campaigns
[H2] 2026 Humanitarian Action Overview
In 2026, UNFPA is appealing for $1 billion to deliver life-saving reproductive health and critical gender-based violence prevention services and…

[H4] Annual Report 2025

[IMG: Annual Report 2025]
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[IMG: We rise | GBV Dashboard]
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[H4] 2026 Humanitarian Action Overview

[IMG: 2026 Humanitarian Action Overview]
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[H2] In focus

[IMG: Middle East Crisis]

Humanitarian emergency
[H4] Middle East Crisis

As the humanitarian crisis deepens across the Middle East, tens of thousands of people have been killed, injured and displaced, with civilians the
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[IMG: Democratic Republic of the Congo]

Humanitarian emergency
[H4] Democratic Republic of the Congo

Despite a declared ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, frequent lapses in commitments and a dangerous security vacuum leave civilians
Read more

[IMG: Equality in dignity and rights for LGBTQIA+ people]

Diversity equity and inclusion
[H4] Equality in dignity and rights for LGBTQIA+ people

In the matter of LGBTQIA+ rights, we started behind – it wasn’t until 1990 that homosexuality was declassified as a mental disorder by the World Health
Read more

[H3] Pregnant women and newborns are among the most vulnerable in conflict
UNFPA is critically concerned for women and girls in Gaza, including the estimated 43,580 pregnant women. These women are cut off from safe delivery services as hospitals come under attack and the health system unravels, with life-saving medicines, fuel and electricity running out.
Help us deliver essential healthcare services to women in Gaza.
DONATE TODAY

[IMG: Pregnant women and newborns are among the most vulnerable in conflict]

[H2] World population spotlight
Explore data on sexual and reproductive health and population trends.

[IMG: World population spotlight]

8.2 billion
Total world population
2025

197
Maternal mortality ratio (deaths per 100,000 live births)
2023

56%
Decision-making on sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, percent
2007-2024

19%
Child marriage by age 18, percent
2006-2024

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[H2] Events

19 June 2026
[H5] International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict

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[H1]
What we do

[IMG: What we do]

Home
What we do

[H2] Our mission: the three transformative results
UNFPA’s mission is achieving three zeros: zero preventable maternal death, zero unmet need for family planning and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices by 2030.

1
[H3] Ending unmet need for family planning

[IMG: Adolescent pregnancy]

[H6] Adolescent pregnancy

[IMG: Comprehensive sexuality education]

[H6] Comprehensive sexuality education

[IMG: Family planning]

[H6] Family planning

[IMG: Sexual and reproductive health]

[H6] Sexual & reproductive health

2
[H3] Ending maternal mortality

[IMG: Maternal health]

[H6] Maternal health

[IMG: Midwifery]

[H6] Midwifery

[IMG: Obstetric fistula]

[H6] Obstetric fistula

3
[H3] Ending gender-based violence and harmful practices

[IMG: Child marriage]

[H6] Child marriage

[IMG: Female genital mutilation]

[H6] Female genital mutilation

[IMG: Gender-based violence]

[H6] Gender-based violence

[IMG: Son preference]

[H6] Son preference

[H2] Population matters and rights for all
In a world of 8 billion, we champion rights and choices for all. Our work is grounded in human rights, and we advocate for all people to reach their full potential.

[H4] Population matters

[IMG: Ageing]

[H5] Ageing
The world is ageing rapidly.

Between 1974 and 2024, the worldwide share of people aged 65 almost doubled – increasing...

[IMG: Census]

[H5] Census
The population and housing census is among the most complex and massive peacetime exercises a nation can undertake. It r...

[IMG: Civil registration and vital statistics]

[H5] Civil registration and vital statistics
Millions of people are born, married and die without leaving a trace of their existence in official legal records. The W...

[IMG: Climate change]

[H5] Climate change
From changing temperatures to strengthening storms and rising sea levels, the effects of climate change are impacting al...

[IMG: Demographic dividend]

[H5] Demographic dividend
Sustainable development cannot be achieved without assuring that all women and men, and girls and boys, enjoy the dignit...

[IMG: Urbanization]

[H5] Urbanization
The world is undergoing the largest wave of urban growth in history. 

More than half of the world’s population n...

[IMG: World population trends]

[H5] World population trends
It took hundreds of thousands of years for the world population to grow to one billion – then in just another 200 years ...

[H4] Rights and choices for all

[IMG: Adolescents and young people today: Empowering a growing global population]

[H5] Adolescents and young people today: Empowering a growing global population
Today’s generation of adolescents and young people is the largest the world has ever seen. The planet is now home to mor...

[IMG: Advancing Equity and Social Justice for People of African Descent]

[H5] Advancing Equity and Social Justice for People of African Descent
Leave no one behind. This is a guiding principle of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It calls for eradica...

[IMG: Disability inclusion at UNFPA: We matter. We belong. We decide.]

[H5] Disability inclusion at UNFPA: We matter. We belong. We decide.
At UNFPA, we are committed to advancing the sexual and reproductive health and rights of persons with disabilities, part...

[IMG: Engaging men and boys]

[H5] Engaging men and boys
Gender equality cannot be achieved without the involvement of men and boys. Change is slowly taking place, and men are i...

[IMG: Equality in dignity and rights for LGBTQIA+ people]

[H5] Equality in dignity and rights for LGBTQIA+ people
In the matter of LGBTQIA+ rights, we started behind – it wasn’t until 1990 that homosexuality was declassified as a ment...

[IMG: Gender equality]

[H5] Gender equality
Gender equality is the principle that all people are free to develop their abilities and make life choices – without the...

[IMG: HIV and AIDS]

[H5] HIV and AIDS
Sexual health is a precursor to reproductive health. Unfortunately, hundreds of millions of people are infected with cur...

[IMG: Human rights]

[H5] Human rights
It is every person’s human right to have access to inclusive and comprehensive sexuality education, to freely choose the...

[IMG: Menstrual health]

[H5] Menstrual health
Each day, some 800 million people between the ages of 15 - 49 are menstruating. Yet for so many, a natural biological pr...

[H2] Our other work

[IMG: Humanitarian emergencies]

[H4]
Humanitarian crises
When disaster strikes, UNFPA is on the ground delivering sexual and reproductive health care and life-saving services and protection to women and girls at their most vulnerable.
Read more about Humanitarian Emergencies

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[H1] Women and Girls Need Your Support

[IMG: Women and Girls Need Your Support]

[H2] Women and Girls Need Your Support

In countries with weak health systems, vital sexual and reproductive health services are too often beyond the reach of women and girls. This means pregnancy and childbirth can be a death sentence, women and girls may go without family planning, and survivors of sexual violence may go without care.
UNFPA is on the ground in over 150 countries, supporting the most vulnerable with life-saving services. Donate to UNFPA:
So pregnant women can receive life-saving antenatal care, safe delivery services and newborn care.
So families in crisis can access critical emergency supplies.
So women can have access to safe and voluntary family planning, which is central to women’s empowerment.
So midwives get the training and tools to avert maternal and newborn deaths.
So survivors of sexual violence are provided with essential health services.
We CAN reach more people in need with your help today.

[H3] Frequently Asked Questions

[H4]
How is my donation used by UNFPA?

Your donation will support UNFPA in its commitment to save and protect women and girls in over 150 countries. For every dollar you donate, 92 cents go directly to programme and service delivery, and 8 cents go to the organization's administrative cost. We work hard to keep our administrative costs as low as possible.

[H4]
How is my donation secure?

The information you provide in order to become a UNFPA donor is safe and secure. Our online donation platform has security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control. The process is fully encrypted to ensure your personal and credit card information is kept private and secure.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your online donation contact the team at giving@unfpa.org

[H4]
How is my data used by UNFPA?

Your privacy on the Internet is of utmost importance to us. UNFPA will not pass on your details to other organisations for marketing purposes. For further details see our privacy policy.

[H4]
Is this donation tax deductible?

Donations through UNFPA are not tax deductible. If you donate through our support committee in the United States, USA for UNFPA, your donation is tax-deductible. Do you need further assistance, get in touch with our team at giving@unfpa.org.

[H4]
Can I cancel my monthly donation?

You can cancel your donation at any time. Please get in touch with our team to cancel your monthly donation. You can email us at giving@unfpa.org and we will respond to you within 24 hours.

[H4]
When can I expect my receipt?

Once your donation goes through successfully you will receive an automated email with your receipt. For further assistance, contact our team at giving@unfpa.org.

[H3] With your donation you will help UNFPA in its mission to:

[IMG: Icon]
Assure that no woman dies giving birth

[IMG: Icon]
Provide access to modern contraceptives sufficient to benefit 20 million women a year

[IMG: Icon]
End violence against women, female genital mutilation, child marriage and teen pregnancies

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[H1]
About us

[IMG: About us]

Home
Who we are
About us

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is the sexual and reproductive health agency of the UN. It works to uphold the rights and choices of women, girls and young people across more than 150 countries. UNFPA aims to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person can fulfil their potential.
The challenges are immense: Almost half of all pregnancies are unintended, one in three women faces physical or sexual violence, and every two minutes a woman or girl dies from causes related to pregnancy or childbirth – most of them preventable. UNFPA tackles these issues head-on, reaching millions of women, girls and young people every year with vital information about their bodies and rights, essential health services, and protection from violence.
Only when every person can access accurate information, quality care, and the freedom to make choices about their bodies safely and with dignity can they realize their full potential – and help shape a better future for all.
Our mission is:
[H4] To deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

[H2] Our history

UNFPA began in 1967 as the United Nations Trust Fund for Population Activities, created in response to growing global concern about demographic change and the promise of new family planning technologies. Four years later, UNFPA was recognised as a permanent entity within the UN system, funded through voluntary contributions from Member States. Eventually, the official name was changed to United Nations Population Fund, but the abbreviation UNFPA was retained.
The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo in 1994 – convened by UNFPA and the United Nations Population Division – was a turning point in the global conversation around demography. The outcome document of this conference, the ICPD Programme of Action, affirmed that population was not the problem, but that rights and choices were the solution. Backed by this global consensus, UNFPA has become a passionate defender of sexual and reproductive health and rights, provider of sexual and reproductive health services, and champion of dignity and bodily autonomy.
[H4] Today, UNFPA is the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, ensuring rights and choices for all.

[IMG: Girls in the village of Koaltinquin going to a distant-well to bring water. [c. 1974], modern day Burkina faso. Photo credit: UN Photo/Ray Witlin]

December 1966 | UN adopts a resolution on population - The United Nations calls for the creation of a specialized programme to address population concerns. In a landmark resolution1, governments agree that social, cultural, economic, and health realities must be part of the conversation, with “due regard to the principle that the size of the family should be the free choice of each individual family.”
Photo credit: UN Photo/Ray Witlin | 1Source

[IMG: UN Secretary General Announces Creation of UN Trust Fund for Population]

01 July 1967  | The United Nations establishes a special trust fund for population activities - It would come to be known1 as the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, UNFPA. The founding documents2 reflect both concern about rapid population change and hope in new family planning technologies. The announcement is made on his behalf by then-Under-Secretary for Economic and Social Affairs, Philippe de Seynes. Pictured above are Mr. de Seynes and then-Secretary General, U Thant, in a photo taken several years earlier.
Photo credit: UN Photo/MB | 1Source , 2Source

[IMG: International conference on population development is born]

22 April 1968 | Family planning is recognized as a human right - At the International Conference on Human Rights held in Tehran, Iran, countries adopted the Proclamation of Tehran, which affirmed, for the first time in a global agreement, the basic right of parents “to determine freely and responsibly the number and the spacing of their children.” It also highlighted the “relationship between family planning and the status of women.”
Photo Credit: UN photo

[IMG: UNFPA issues the first State of World Population]

1978 - present | UNFPA issues the first State of World Population - For over four decades, State of the World Population has held a mirror to humanity's changing demographics. Published every year, this report spotlights global challenges in sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Photo credit: UNFPA

[IMG: First world population day]

1987 | First World Population Day is celebrated - On 11 July 1987, the world celebrates reaching a global population of 5 billion. The moment sparks worldwide attention and leads to the creation of World Population Day. Each year, the day highlights both the challenges and the opportunities of a growing global family, and the importance of ensuring rights and choices for all people, everywhere.
UNFPA is renamed - This same year, UNFPA is renamed1 by the UN General Assembly, changing from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities to the United Nations Population Fund. The abbreviation UNFPA was retained.
Photo credit: UN/Kibae Park | 1Source

[IMG: The ICPD Programme of Action – The ICPD is born]

September 1994 | The ICPD Programme of Action – The ICPD is born - The ICPD, held in Cairo, Egypt, was the largest intergovernmental conference on population and development ever held. It articulated a bold new vision about the relationships between population, development and individual well-being – and, momentously, marked the first time world leaders agreed to invest in people and not demographic targets.
Photo credit: UN Photo

[IMG: SDG secretariet]

25 September 2015 | Sustainable Development Goals adopted - All 193 UN Member States adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – a shared promise to transform the world in 15 years. The 17 goals echo the values of the ICPD, placing people, dignity and equality at the centre of progress. UNFPA works with governments and partners to drive this agenda forward, with a focus on health, education and gender equality.
Photo credit: UN/Cia Pak

[IMG: The 4th World Conference on Women]

1995 | The Beijing Platform for Action - At the Fourth World Conference on Women, governments adopt the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – a landmark commitment to advance women’s rights, strengthen the ICPD, and put gender equality at the heart of global progress.
Photo credit: UN Photo/Milton Grant

[IMG: UNFPA ramps up humanitarian support]

Past decade | UNFPA ramps up humanitarian support - As crises in Afghanistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan and Ukraine unfold, UNFPA expands its humanitarian response to deliver life-saving reproductive healthcare and protection from gender-based violence. In 2022, Executive Director Natalia Kanem meets families in the Republic of Moldova who fled the war in Ukraine, underscoring our commitment to dignity and rights in times of emergency.
Photo credit: Siegfried Modola

[IMG: Girls in the village of Koaltinquin going to a distant-well to bring water. [c. 1974], modern day Burkina faso. Photo credit: UN Photo/Ray Witlin]

December 1966 | UN adopts a resolution on population - The United Nations calls for the creation of a specialized programme to address population concerns. In a landmark resolution1, governments agree that social, cultural, economic, and health realities must be part of the conversation, with “due regard to the principle that the size of the family should be the free choice of each individual family.”
Photo credit: UN Photo/Ray Witlin | 1Source

[IMG: UN Secretary General Announces Creation of UN Trust Fund for Population]

01 July 1967  | The United Nations establishes a special trust fund for population activities - It would come to be known1 as the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, UNFPA. The founding documents2 reflect both concern about rapid population change and hope in new family planning technologies. The announcement is made on his behalf by then-Under-Secretary for Economic and Social Affairs, Philippe de Seynes. Pictured above are Mr. de Seynes and then-Secretary General, U Thant, in a photo taken several years earlier.
Photo credit: UN Photo/MB | 1Source , 2Source

[IMG: International conference on population development is born]

22 April 1968 | Family planning is recognized as a human right - At the International Conference on Human Rights held in Tehran, Iran, countries adopted the Proclamation of Tehran, which affirmed, for the first time in a global agreement, the basic right of parents “to determine freely and responsibly the number and the spacing of their children.” It also highlighted the “relationship between family planning and the status of women.”
Photo Credit: UN photo

Show more

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[IMG: UNFPA issues the first State of World Population]

1978 - present | UNFPA issues the first State of World Population - For over four decades, State of the World Population has held a mirror to humanity's changing demographics. Published every year, this report spotlights global challenges in sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Photo credit: UNFPA

[IMG: First world population day]

1987 | First World Population Day is celebrated - On 11 July 1987, the world celebrates reaching a global population of 5 billion. The moment sparks worldwide attention and leads to the creation of World Population Day. Each year, the day highlights both the challenges and the opportunities of a growing global family, and the importance of ensuring rights and choices for all people, everywhere.
UNFPA is renamed - This same year, UNFPA is renamed1 by the UN General Assembly, changing from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities to the United Nations Population Fund. The abbreviation UNFPA was retained.
Photo credit: UN/Kibae Park | 1Source

[IMG: The ICPD Programme of Action – The ICPD is born]

September 1994 | The ICPD Programme of Action – The ICPD is born - The ICPD, held in Cairo, Egypt, was the largest intergovernmental conference on population and development ever held. It articulated a bold new vision about the relationships between population, development and individual well-being – and, momentously, marked the first time world leaders agreed to invest in people and not demographic targets.
Photo credit: UN Photo

Show more

Show less

[IMG: SDG secretariet]

25 September 2015 | Sustainable Development Goals adopted - All 193 UN Member States adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – a shared promise to transform the world in 15 years. The 17 goals echo the values of the ICPD, placing people, dignity and equality at the centre of progress. UNFPA works with governments and partners to drive this agenda forward, with a focus on health, education and gender equality.
Photo credit: UN/Cia Pak

[IMG: The 4th World Conference on Women]

1995 | The Beijing Platform for Action - At the Fourth World Conference on Women, governments adopt the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – a landmark commitment to advance women’s rights, strengthen the ICPD, and put gender equality at the heart of global progress.
Photo credit: UN Photo/Milton Grant

[IMG: UNFPA ramps up humanitarian support]

Past decade | UNFPA ramps up humanitarian support - As crises in Afghanistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan and Ukraine unfold, UNFPA expands its humanitarian response to deliver life-saving reproductive healthcare and protection from gender-based violence. In 2022, Executive Director Natalia Kanem meets families in the Republic of Moldova who fled the war in Ukraine, underscoring our commitment to dignity and rights in times of emergency.
Photo credit: Siegfried Modola

Show more

Show less

[H2] International Conference on Population Development
The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Cairo marked a turning point. Governments agreed that population was not the problem – rights and choices were the solution. The Programme of Action put women’s empowerment, health and dignity at the centre of sustainable development.
That vision was renewed at the Nairobi Summit in 2019, aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Guided by these commitments, UNFPA today works in more than 150 countries and territories to uphold sexual and reproductive health and rights – ensuring every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person can fulfil their potential.
Learn more about International Conference on Population Development

[H2] Our four goals
As the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, we aim to:

[IMG: Zero unmet need for family planning]

[H3] Enable people to choose, freely and responsibly, whether and when to have children
We are the world’s single-largest provider of donated contraceptives to developing countries, and our programmes increase the availability of contraceptives and dismantle barriers to services.

[IMG: Zero preventable maternal deaths]

[H3] Protect women from preventable maternal deaths
We help strengthen health systems, train and educate health workers and midwives, and improve access to a full range of reproductive health services. Our support for women’s maternal health is especially significant in 32 countries with the highest rates of maternal mortality and morbidity.

[IMG: Zero gender-based violence and harmful practices]

[H3] Eradicate gender-based violence and harmful practices
We work with policymakers, justice systems and health systems and engage men and boys to advance gender equality. We protect survivors of gender-based violence by providing a combination of essential services, including in humanitarian crises.

[IMG: Zero gender-based violence and harmful practices]

[H3] Enable governments to plan for changing population needs
We work with governments to plan for changing population needs, so people can thrive today and in the future, regardless of fertility trends. This recognizes the need for policies that respond to people’s needs so future generations can live well and plan their lives with confidence.

[H2] Our place within the UN System
UNFPA is funded entirely through voluntary contributions from governments, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector, foundations and individuals. We do not receive money from the United Nations regular budget.
As a subsidiary organ of the UN General Assembly, UNFPA reports to the UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board, made up of 36 Member States, and receives policy guidance f