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UN80 Shifting Paradigms, Changing Structures and Realigning Programmes ...: Shared by Lou Mendez


UNFPA to merge with UN women
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Lou Mendez

“Shifting Paradigms: United to Deliver” – Secretary-General’s progress report, Sept 2025

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 Summary / Context

The UN’s 80th anniversary comes amid conflict, inequality, human rights violations, climate risks, and financial strain. The UN system, built over decades in a piecemeal way, is seen as fragmented and reactive. This report proposes reforms to make the UN more coherent, efficient, accountable, and impactful.

Key Proposals

Peace & Security – From Silos to Seamless

  • Centers of excellence:

    • Prevention, Peacebuilding & Peace Support (merging work now split between the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs – DPPA – and the Department of Peace Operations – DPO).

    • Women, Peace & Security (merging gender units, in partnership with UN Women).

  • Integration of institutes: UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) into the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) into the Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA).

  • Consolidation: Merge and streamline missions (e.g., Yemen, Central Africa/Great Lakes, Cyprus); abolish five senior posts (Under-Secretaries-General and Assistant Secretaries-General).

  • Delegation: Civilian tasks (rule of law, governance, child protection) to be handled by specialized UN agencies for greater continuity and efficiency.

Humanitarian – “New Humanitarian Compact”

  • Simplify humanitarian plans, reporting, and coordination.

  • Pool supply chains, logistics, procurement – saving potentially billions.

  • Scale up common services (ICT, premises, fleets, security).

  • Strengthen Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators with better data and decision-making tools.

  • Joint humanitarian diplomacy under the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC).

  • Clarify agency roles: e.g., FAO/WFP/IFAD on food; UNHCR/IOM on mobility; UNICEF/WFP/UNHCR on beneficiary data; WHO/UNICEF/WFP on health and nutrition.

Sustainable Development – From Fragmentation to Joint Impact

  • Assess mergers:

    • UNDP (Development Programme) + UNOPS (Office for Project Services).

    • UNFPA (Population Fund) + UN Women.

  • Sunset UNAIDS by 2026, mainstreaming its work into other entities.

  • Create a single entry point for macroeconomic analysis (realigning DESA, UNCTAD, Regional Commissions).

  • Streamline support for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

  • Establish Joint Knowledge Hubs on climate change, science & technology, financing, critical minerals, trade, and integration.

  • Provide expertise “on demand” for Member States and country teams.

Human Rights – Unified System-Wide Approach

  • Establish a Human Rights Group across the UN system, led by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to avoid duplication and ensure consistent integration.

Cross-Pillar Reforms

  • Global: Rationalize top management forums (CEB, IASC, UNSDG, Executive Committee); review ~30 special envoys; revamp crisis-prevention platforms.

  • Regional: Create Regional Integrated Platforms (within Regional Economic Commissions), co-locating peace, development, humanitarian, and rights expertise.

  • Country level: Leaner, reconfigured country teams under empowered Resident Coordinators; Shared Platform Initiative for co-location, accountability, and simplified planning; stronger leadership accountability.

Enablers of Change

  • Technology: Consolidate ICT under common providers; launch a Technology Accelerator Platform for digital/AI innovation.

  • Shared Services: Unified global back-office (ICT, HR, payroll, procurement, ERP, premises, fleets); harmonize programme support costs.

  • Training & Research: Merge UN Staff College into UNITAR (Training & Research); fold UNRISD (Research on Social Development) into UNU (University). UNICRI and UNIDIR consolidated as above.

  • Data Commons: Shared, interoperable data backbone for the UN system; pooled financing; specialized data expertise on demand.

  • Funding: Stronger incentives for pooled/core funding; simplify fund architecture (CERF, Peacebuilding Fund, SDG Fund, Country-Based Pooled Funds).

Bottom Line

This package represents the boldest structural reform agenda since the 2017 UN development reforms. Its aim: fewer silos, more integration, leaner leadership, stronger regional/country platforms, modernized technology and data, and financing that supports collective rather than fragmented impact.

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