UNFPA

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) established its Sub-regional Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries in Muscat, Oman, in 2006. This office provides technical assistance to the six GCC states—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—in several key areas:

• Population and Development: Supporting the implementation of the Programme of Action from the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and analyzing population dynamics, including growth rates, age structure, fertility, mortality, and migration. 

• Reproductive Health and Rights: Enhancing maternal and infant health, promoting reproductive rights, and increasing awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. 

• Youth Development: Focusing on adolescent reproductive health, youth empowerment, promoting healthy lifestyles, enhancing HIV/AIDS awareness, and supporting youth peer education. 

• Gender Equality: Advocating for women’s access to reproductive health services, eliminating gender-based violence, ensuring gender equality, and promoting women’s empowerment. 

In Oman, UNFPA collaborates with various strategic partners, including government entities, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and youth-led groups, to integrate these focus areas into national development plans and policies.  The office also assists in using population data to assess and anticipate needs, monitor progress, and identify gaps in delivering development programs and services. 

Through these efforts, UNFPA aims to expand possibilities for women and young people in Oman to lead healthy and productive lives.