Committee Introduction 

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The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), established in 1967 and formally mandated by ECOSOC in 1973, is the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency working in over 150 countries to advance the rights and choices of women, girls, and young people. Its leadership was solidified at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), where 179 governments adopted the Programme of Action that UNFPA continues to support. The agency has played a major role in promoting voluntary family planning, reducing maternal deaths, advancing gender equality, and leading global efforts such as the campaign to end obstetric fistula. UNFPA focuses on strengthening countries’ capacity in population and reproductive health, raising awareness of population issues, and providing advisory assistance to help governments develop programs aligned with UN principles and international agreements.

 

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Agenda Introduction 

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Agenda A | 

 

Global fertility rates have declined dramatically since 1950, marking one of the most significant demographic shifts of the modern era. Fertility has fallen from 5.8 to 1.8 births per woman in Latin America and the Caribbean, from 6.5 to 4.0 in Africa, and to extremely low levels in Europe (1.4) and Northern America (1.6). Major Asian countries show even sharper declines, with Japan at 1.15, Hong Kong at 0.84, and South Korea at just 0.75—the lowest in the world. Over half of all countries are now below the replacement rate of 2.1, and UN projections warn of further declines, raising concerns about shrinking labor forces, rapid aging, pressure on welfare and healthcare systems, and weakened intergenerational cohesion. Globally, low fertility is also expected to intensify migration tensions, reshape geopolitical power balances, and strain international cooperation as countries compete for migrants and skilled labor. Given these far-reaching implications, delegates must propose policies that reduce economic and social barriers to parenthood and support individuals in achieving their desired family size, ensuring long-term demographic stability and social resilience.

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Agenda B | 

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​Maternal mortality is one of the starkest indicators of global inequality, and conflict zones suffer the most severe outcomes: in 2023, a woman died from pregnancy-related causes almost every two minutes, with half of these deaths occurring in armed-conflict settings where maternal mortality reaches 504 per 100,000 live births—far higher than in fragile (368) or stable (99) contexts. These deaths stem from the collapse of health systems, destroyed facilities, restricted aid, displacement, shortages of skilled health workers, and the amplified gender inequality that leaves women with limited access to food, safety, and care while exposing them to heightened risks—including sexual and gender-based violence. With SDG 3 calling for a global maternal mortality ratio below 70 by 2030, addressing these conditions is urgent. Short-term priorities include mobile clinics, humanitarian corridors, trained midwives, and safe spaces in displacement camps; long-term solutions require rebuilding health infrastructure, restoring supply chains, training local professionals, integrating maternal health into national recovery plans, and strengthening legal protections for women’s rights. Delegates must advance practical, collaborative strategies that secure safe motherhood and protect women in the world’s most vulnerable settings.