Audit Finds that Shortcomings in UNFPA Supply Chain Management Could Impact Vulnerable Populations
By Secom / Serint
An audit conducted by the United Nations Board of Auditors identified weaknesses in governance and risk management within the Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU) of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The unit is responsible for coordinating the planning and delivery of essential supplies¿such as obstetric and neonatal kits, family planning materials, and menstrual and dignity hygiene products¿and handled more than USD 500 million in supplies delivered to 140 countries between 2023 and 2024.
The audit found that formal plans, clear objectives, and performance metrics were lacking. Although a preliminary document had been prepared, the unit had not yet incorporated the corporate policy approved in 2022. The auditors also noted the absence of a consistent risk management process: supply chain mapping remained incomplete, and some internal regulations no longer reflected operational reality.
These shortcomings were attributed to the restructuring process launched in 2022 and completed only in October 2024, during which staff formation and leadership appointments occurred gradually. The Board of Auditors recommended that UNFPA establish an integrated planning framework for all teams, develop a specific risk management model aligned with corporate policy, and complete the mapping of SCMU processes and tools.
According to the report, implementing these measures is essential to strengthen the efficiency and reliability of operations, ensuring that vulnerable populations continue to receive reproductive health supplies and humanitarian assistance promptly and safely in crisis situations.
Why does this matter?
The work of the Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU) is vital to fulfilling the mandate of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which is to promote sexual health and reproductive rights in more than 150 countries. In 2024 alone, more than 10 million people accessed reproductive health services in UNFPA-supported contexts, and over 3.6 million benefited from protection against gender-based violence in 59 crisis-affected countries.
These include Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Haiti, and Ukraine¿contexts where wars, humanitarian crises, and natural disasters increase the vulnerability of millions of people, especially women and children.
With a budget exceeding USD 1.6 billion in 2024, UNFPA is the leading United Nations agency dedicated to population and development. Improving SCMU governance and risk management will further enhance the organization¿s positive impact, ensuring that every resource is used as effectively as possible.