The new country programme, 2023-2027, is guided by the UNFPA Strategic Plan, 2022-2025, and will be executed to support the realization of the objectives of the national plans and priorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as discussed in the context of the upcoming seventh National Development Plan and the UNSDCF, 2023-2027. It is also aligned with the ICPD Programme of Action and relevant international instruments. The country programme uses an evidence-based approach, drawing baseline information from the joint United Nations analysis in the lead-up to the UNSDCF, the population situation analysis and a series of thematic analyses conducted to provide a strong-evidence base for its design.
The UNSDCF places the country’s demographic changes and its impact on the economy under the socioeconomic resilience and public health pillars. A call for harnessing the demographic dividend – including developing the skills of young people, improving women’s economic participation, and adapting and responding to rapid population ageing – are firmly embedded in the background analysis.
Building on its success in enhancing women’s education and skills and achievements in improving maternal health, the country programme will support the efforts of the Government to realize the demographic potential of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The country programme will adopt a holistic and integrated approach by contributing to strengthening health systems; supporting the empowerment of the poor and people in vulnerable situations; ensuring better access to quality data and analysis to inform policies and plans; and responding effectively to demographic changes, with a focus on rapid population ageing, through a life-cycle approach.
In line with the principles identified in the UNSDCF and with the mission of ‘leaving no one behind’ and doing no harm, and in pursuit of sustainable development and the right to development, as identified in the joint United Nations analysis, the country programme will intensify its outreach to such populations as pregnant women, the urban poor, drug users, people living with HIV, people living in areas affected by disasters, female-headed households, older people and people with disabilities, upon request and in coordination with the Government. The country programme will support the Government in implementing its plans for improving the availability, accessibility, and quality of the service provision.
To reach its objectives, the country programme will apply different modes of engagement, including advocacy and technical advice; capacity-building and technical assistance; knowledge management; service delivery and cooperation. While adopting the accelerators identified in the strategic plan in implementing the programme, special emphasis will be placed on innovation and digitization as means of scaling up the programme and making it more impactful.
In line with the repositioned United Nations development system, UNFPA is committed to joint work planning and programming, including through UNSDCF results groups. The programme will partner with relevant United Nations organizations in achieving the agreed outcomes, capitalizing on the respective comparative advantages and complementarity of mandates. UNFPA will work closely with the World Health Organization to enhance quality of care in the health system and with UNDP and UNICEF to improve the socioeconomic resilience of populations.
In line with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, which highlights the need for nationally owned development strategies supported by integrated financing frameworks, a key objective of the country programme is to catalyse financing for achieving the national development goals. UNFPA will shift from the funding of individual projects to the financing of programmes. The shift from funding to financing will entail developing the capacity to prepare investment cases and influence different sources of public, private, domestic and international finance to achieve collective, inclusive and sustainable development results.
The focus of the country programme remains on development activities while it recognizes the humanitarian-development continuum. It will undertake risk-informed approaches and strengthen emergency preparedness, mitigation and response, including by supporting programme contributions to resilience-building and sustainability. The programme will pursue the transition to development and early recovery from disasters as well as efforts towards disaster risk reduction, and it will address challenges created by climate change.
