UNFPA is the UN’s Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) agency with the mission to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. During its Sixth Country Programme (2017-2022), UNFPA partnered with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to cover the needs of the most vulnerable populations.

THEMATIC AREAS

• Pregnant Women
• Women and Girls in Vulnerable Situations
• Data and Evidence
• Older Persons
• Afghan Refugee Women and Girls

MODES OF ENGAGEMENT WITH PARTNERS

• Advocacy
• Knowledge Management including research, studies, data generation and collection
• Capacity Development including skills, processes, procedures and resources
• Service Delivery
• Strengthening partnerships

PARTNERSHIPS

• Implementing partners: Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME); Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare (MCLSW); Secretariat of the National Council of Elderly (SNCE); State Welfare Organization (SWO); Statistical Research and Training Center of Iran (SRTC); Statistical Center of Iran (SCI); University of Tehran (UT); Iran University of Medical Sciences; Pars Development Activists (PDA); Relief International (RI).
• Coordinating bodies: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA); Bureau of Aliens and Foreign Affairs (BAFIA).
• Donors: Australia; European Commission Humanitarian Branch (ECHO); European Union (EU); Italy; Japan; Netherlands; Norway; UNFPA Humanitarian Thematic Fund.
• UN Sister Agencies: United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS); United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF); United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC); World Health Organization (WHO).
• Other Partners: Asia-Pacific Development & Communication Centre (ADCC); Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO); HelpAge International; International Confederation of Midwives (ICM); Iran Scientific Association of Midwifery (ISAM); Statistics Korea (KOSTAT); United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD).

LESSONS LEARNED AND WAY FORWARD

• The evaluation of the Sixth Country Programme (2017-2022) for UNFPA Iran found the programme to be relevant, efficient and effective. The evaluation also called for a greater focus on quality of care, a more structured data systems informed by significant attention to people living in vulnerable situations, strategic use of emerging demographic dynamics as the driving force for development; adoption of a holistic life-cycle approach in programming; and a more efficient and effective humanitarian response.
• Challenges faced by UNFPA Iran in the Sixth Country Programme (2017-2022) included navigating natural disasters and responding to emerging crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In spite of challenges encountered, UNFPA was considered a credible partner by key stakeholders and United Nations organizations, with the ability to adapt flexibly to specific contexts.
•  UNFPA will further invest in supporting the government of Iran towards implementation of action plans and strategies jointly developed for building resilience and empowering youth, women, and older people, through innovation, creativity and partnership. This will be done with the spirit of delivering as One UN in close partnership with our UN sister agencies under the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.