Thousands of delegates have gathered in New York for the UN Commission on the Status of Women, but the annual meeting is overshadowed by concerns over a proposal to merge two key UN agencies. The plan, part of the UN80 reform initiative, would combine UN Women and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) into a single body. Critics argue the merger risks undermining women's rights at a time of global crises and funding cuts.
Women's rights groups and several member states fear the restructuring could reduce donor funding and destabilise essential programmes. Jessica Stern of the Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice warned that in a climate of backlash against women's rights, 'anything that destabilises the scant resources we have is dangerous.' Gita Sen of the feminist network Dawn added that merging might lead donors to cut contributions, leaving already inadequate funding even scarcer.
Fòs Feminista, an international alliance, called on member states to reject the merger, arguing it is based on faulty assumptions. Its report noted that UNFPA and UN Women have minimal overlap and low budgets, suggesting the proposal is driven by opposition to rights-based mandates rather than efficiency. Fadekemi Akinfaderin of Fòs Feminista criticised the lack of alternatives, asking why a heavy-handed approach was taken with an organisation built on consensus.
Both UN Women and UNFPA have expressed support for UN80, provided their mandates are preserved. However, women's rights organisations argue that protecting those mandates is unrealistic in the current political climate, as a merger vote could allow hostile member states to challenge the agencies' missions.
