Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposed merger of the United Nations Population Fund and United Nations Women.

The Government is closely engaged in discussions on the proposed merger of United Nations (UN) Women and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The UK supports effective and evidence-based UN reform and remains open to merger and non-merger options, but considers that insufficient evidence has been provided to justify a merger at this time. Our priority is to ensure the most effective and efficient delivery of the important mandates of both organisations, leading to stronger outcomes for women and girls on the ground. We continue to stress that the existing mandates of UN Women and UNFPA are not up for negotiation. The UK believes that any proposal for significant structural reform should be underpinned by a robust evidence base, and we continue to ask the UN to provide the necessary analysis to inform Member State discussions. We also emphasise the importance of inclusive consultation throughout the process, including meaningful engagement with civil society.