This toolkit is designed to support UNFPA regional and country offices to develop country investment cases in support of one or more of the transformative results. It provides a concise and practical guide on how to develop a national investment case, including a step-by-step guide on:
How to prepare for the investment case
How to estimate the cost of the investment using standardized tools
How to develop investment scenarios to determine the scale of the impact that can be attributed to the investment
How to frame the investment angle
How to use the investment case in national advocacy efforts.
BACKGROUND
UNFPA embraces the vision set forth in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the targets included in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its strategic plan (2018-2021) with the goal to, “achieve universal access to sexual and reproductive health, realize reproductive rights, and reduce maternal mortality to accelerate progress on the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) agenda, to improve the lives of women, adolescents and youth, enabled by population dynamics, human rights, and gender equality”, (UNFPA, 2019) (UNFPA, 2017). UNFPA’s work is organized around three transformative, people-centred results in the period leading up to 2030. These results include: (a) ending preventable maternal mortality; (b) ending the unmet need for family planning; and (c) ending gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful practices including female genital mutilation (FGM) and child, early and forced marriage (Figure 1).
These transformative results reflect UNFPA’s mandate, comparative advantage, work experience, and capacity for advancing elements of the SDGs, and, in particular, are most closely aligned to Goal 3 (ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages), Goal 5 (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls), Goal 10 (reduce inequality within and among countries), Goal 16 (promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels), and Goal 17 (strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development) (United Nations, 2019). The transformative results reflect UNFPA’s prioritization and commitment to achieving SDG 3 and SDG 5, and are aligned with:
Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to fewer than 70 per 100,000 live births.
Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including family planning, information and education and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.
Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
Target 5.3: Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM).
Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action, and the outcome documents of their review conferences.
UNFPA, together with its partners across the globe, plans to attain the three transformative results by 2030 through three consecutive strategic planning cycles: (a) Strategic Plan 2018-2021, which sets the vision and starts action; (b) Strategic Plan 2022-2025 to consolidate gains; and (c) Strategic Plan 2026-2030 to accelerate achievements.
COST OF THE TRANSFORMATIVE RESULTS UNFPA IS COMMITTED TO ACHIEVING BY 2030
In 2019, ground-breaking research by UNFPA and its partners determined the cumulative global price tag to achieve the three transformative results by 2030 for the first time (UNFPA, 2019). This analysis used aggregate country-level estimates from several different data sources and was guided by tailored tools and clear methodology. It revealed that achieving the three transformative results by 2030 in priority countries will cost $264 billion, of which $42 billion is currently projected to be provided by donors during this period in the form of development assistance. This means that new investments of $222 billion are required to meet the three transformative results by 2030 (Table 1) to be raised from mostly domestic resources, including government expenditures.
PURPOSE OF TOOLKIT
This toolkit follows UNFPA’s Guidance to Country Offices Volume I (UNFPA), which provides a roadmap and the information required for management and staff at UNFPA headquarters and regional and country offices intending to develop thematic investment cases. This toolkit, or Volume II of the Guidance, builds on Volume I and provides UNFPA country offices and investment case implementers with a stepwise approach to develop thematic investment cases to meet the transformative results by 2030. There is an individual toolkit for each transformative result; based on the respective needs and priorities in their settings, countries can choose to develop investment cases for one or more of the transformative results.
The toolkit is divided into seven chapters to guide users through the process of developing their own country investment case(s), including how to use their investment cases in advocacy efforts with partners.
The toolkit is intended for use by UNFPA business unit management and staff, as well as those carrying out the costing portion of the investment case, and provides a comprehensive guide to help users prepare and plan for the development of the national investment case, ensuring technical consistency in the application of tools and across all phases of the approach including the validity of cost estimates, investment scenarios and the scale of impact attributable to the targeted investment (UNFPA).
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was down more than 200 points in late-morning trading, weighed down by losses in the technology, base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets also fell.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 239.24 points at 22,749.04.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 312.36 points at 40,443.39. The S&P 500 index was down 80.94 points at 5,422.47, while the Nasdaq composite was down 380.17 points at 16,747.49.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.80 cents US compared with 74.00 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude oil contract was down US$1.07 at US$68.08 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.26 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$2.10 at US$2,541.00 an ounce and the December copper contract was down four cents at US$4.10 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in technology, financial and energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets also pushed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 171.41 points at 23,298.39.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 278.37 points at 41,369.79. The S&P 500 index was up 38.17 points at 5,630.35, while the Nasdaq composite was up 177.15 points at 17,733.18.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.19 cents US compared with 74.23 cents US on Wednesday.
The October crude oil contract was up US$1.75 at US$76.27 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.10 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$18.70 at US$2,556.50 an ounce and the December copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.22 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.
The crypto market has recently experienced a significant downturn, mirroring broader risk asset sell-offs. Over the past week, Bitcoin’s price dropped by 24%, reaching $53,000, while Ethereum plummeted nearly a third to $2,340. Major altcoins also suffered, with Cardano down 27.7%, Solana 36.2%, Dogecoin 34.6%, XRP 23.1%, Shiba Inu 30.1%, and BNB 25.7%.
The severe downturn in the crypto market appears to be part of a broader flight to safety, triggered by disappointing economic data. A worse-than-expected unemployment report on Friday marked the beginning of a technical recession, as defined by the Sahm Rule. This rule identifies a recession when the three-month average unemployment rate rises by at least half a percentage point from its lowest point in the past year.
Friday’s figures met this threshold, signaling an abrupt economic downshift. Consequently, investors sought safer assets, leading to declines in major stock indices: the S&P 500 dropped 2%, the Nasdaq 2.5%, and the Dow 1.5%. This trend continued into Monday with further sell-offs overseas.
The crypto market’s rapid decline raises questions about its role as either a speculative asset or a hedge against inflation and recession. Despite hopes that crypto could act as a risk hedge, the recent crash suggests it remains a speculative investment.
Since the downturn, the crypto market has seen its largest three-day sell-off in nearly a year, losing over $500 billion in market value. According to CoinGlass data, this bloodbath wiped out more than $1 billion in leveraged positions within the last 24 hours, including $365 million in Bitcoin and $348 million in Ether.
Khushboo Khullar of Lightning Ventures, speaking to Bloomberg, argued that the crypto sell-off is part of a broader liquidity panic as traders rush to cover margin calls. Khullar views this as a temporary sell-off, presenting a potential buying opportunity.
Josh Gilbert, an eToro market analyst, supports Khullar’s perspective, suggesting that the expected Federal Reserve rate cuts could benefit crypto assets. “Crypto assets have sold off, but many investors will see an opportunity. We see Federal Reserve rate cuts, which are now likely to come sharper than expected, as hugely positive for crypto assets,” Gilbert told Coindesk.
Despite the recent volatility, crypto continues to make strides toward mainstream acceptance. Notably, Morgan Stanley will allow its advisors to offer Bitcoin ETFs starting Wednesday. This follows more than half a year after the introduction of the first Bitcoin ETF. The investment bank will enable over 15,000 of its financial advisors to sell BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC. This move is seen as a significant step toward the “mainstreamization” of crypto, given the lengthy regulatory and company processes in major investment banks.
The recent crypto market downturn highlights its volatility and the broader economic concerns affecting all risk assets. While some analysts see the current situation as a temporary sell-off and a buying opportunity, others caution against the speculative nature of crypto. As the market evolves, its role as a mainstream alternative asset continues to grow, marked by increasing institutional acceptance and new investment opportunities.
