New Year’s message from the Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanem

Dear colleagues,

As we open the door on a new year, my fervent wish for each of you and your loved ones, and for the women and girls we serve, is simple: peace. Peace in our homes, peace in our communities, peace in our world.

I am so proud of the important work we did together in 2023, and I want to thank each and every one of you for your dedication, can-do spirit and tremendous contributions. These are the hallmark qualities that have defined UNFPA staff for more than five decades, contributing to the tremendous successes the world has seen since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo in 1994.

Thirty years ago, we set out to achieve a world in which people lived longer, healthier lives and enjoyed more rights and choices than ever before. This vision has become a reality for many: fewer women are dying giving birth; more women have access to contraception; and more girls are in school.

ICPD30 is an opportunity to celebrate these achievements and to push for greater action at country, regional and global levels to make the promise of Cairo real for the millions of women and girls still waiting.

2023 was an incredibly challenging year. Yet, once again, that UNFPA spirit of resilience, resolve and commitment shone through. We know that those we serve are suffering enormously – in the devastating conflicts in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, and in other crises, from Afghanistan to the Democratic Republic of Congo to Haiti and beyond.

Again and again, around the world, when women and girls are in dire need, UNFPA is by their side. I salute the courage and commitment of our humanitarian colleagues delivering life-saving assistance in some of the most difficult and dangerous settings on earth.

Over the past year, you continued to ensure that women could deliver safely, access family planning services, and receive hygiene supplies to maintain their dignity, even in the most precarious circumstances. You offered safe spaces for women and girls at risk of gender-based violence, and medical and psychosocial support for violence survivors.

UNFPA continued to blaze new trails:

· enhancing our leadership and expertise in areas like technology-facilitated gender-based violence;

· advocating for gender equity in science, technology and financing; and

· making real progress towards sustainable financing for family planning.

And we persisted in:

· sounding the alarm on the disproportionate price women and girls pay in the face of climate change, including at COP28;

· shining a spotlight on the global emergency of violence against women and girls and acting with allies to end it; and

· working with partners on quality data and research so that we can see the unseen and prioritize those furthest behind.

Your hard work and dedication made all of this – and much more – possible, and it has not gone unnoticed by our partners, by Member States and by the communities we serve. Your contributions make a real difference in the lives of women and girls.

Our results have also translated into record resources. After an all-time high of US$1.5 billion in 2022, resources for 2023 will again top US$1 billion – the seventh year in a row!

We’ve done all of this while continuing to improve the way we work, innovate and partner so that we are future-fit. We are optimizing our organizational structure to be closer to those we serve and so that we can deliver even better results and create new opportunities for knowledge-sharing, capacity building, visibility and partnerships in the South. And together, we have made important strides in creating a culture of inclusion, openness and respect.

Whatever the challenges, dear colleagues, you face them head-on with courage, determination and teamwork. Keep supporting one another and looking out for each other.

New Year’s is a time for reflection and renewal. As you mark the new year, take a moment to recognize your achievements and the impact of your work.

I hope that each of you has an opportunity to rest, recharge, and spend precious time with your loved ones.

Let’s return in the new year with renewed vigor and shared determination. Our forward march continues to ICPD30 and beyond; I count on all regional and country office colleagues to work with their partners and networks to keep the flame of the ICPD burning bright.