UNFPA Equalizer Accelerator Fund

The UNFPA Equalizer Accelerator Fund provides both financial and non-financial support to improve opportunities for women and young people and ensure rights and choices for all through innovation.

To maximize reach and impact, the Equalizer draws on UNFPA’s diverse global network of private, public, philanthropic, academic and non-governmental partners. UNFPA’s presence in 150 countries and territories means it is well positioned to deliver on its mandate, even in places that are hard to reach, and to share successes across countries and communities. 

Our four pillars

The Equalizer is based on four pillars that support innovations to accelerate gender equity, improve women’s health and well-being, and expand reproductive rights globally by:

• Investing in early-stage women- and youth-led innovations.
• Scaling high-impact solutions. Read more.
• Mobilizing investments through global partnerships. Read more. 
• Building institutional capacity by embedding innovation across UNFPA systems. Read more.

Our impact

Since its inception in 2021, the Equalizer has become a flagship platform for financing, innovation and systemic transformation in support of UNFPA’s mandate. It has so far mobilized more than $4.5 million to support women- and youth-led projects, foster global partnerships, and embed innovation across more than 120 UNFPA country offices.

The Equalizer has achieved tangible and scalable results around the four pillars:

• Investing in early-stage innovations: UNFPA has so far supported 40 early-stage enterprises across 30 countries, collectively reaching more than 2 million people. These provide funding and capacity building to tackle pressing issues in sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence, climate resilience and accessibility.
• Scaling high-impact solutions: Launched in 2024, the WomenX Collective bridges critical health equity gaps through blended financing and local ecosystem leadership. With hubs operational in Berlin, Germany, and Nairobi, Kenya, it is scaling transformative solutions in reproductive health, maternal health and reproductive cancers.
• Mobilizing investment through global partnerships: Launched in 2023, the Equity 2030 Alliance now counts 130 members, experts and champions. It has shaped global discourse on gender-equitable innovation through high-level events, developing shared metrics, investment cases and strategic advocacy to normalize gender equity in science, technology and finance.
• Building institutional capacity across UNFPA: The Equalizer has embedded innovation into UNFPA’s operations for example, more than 30 global capacity-building activities have been launched, as well as the Innovation Strategy 2030.

Our partners

Dedicated funders and strategic partners support UNFPA in transforming this vision into action:

• Government Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany
• Government of Finland
• Government of Luxembourg
• Bayer Pharma AG  
• Maternity Foundation
• Organon
• UN International Computing Centre 
• World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator
• World Intellectual Property Organization

Our call to action

Now is the time to scale what works. Join us to directly invest in solutions that change lives, systems that centre equity and a future where innovation is truly inclusive. Together, we can amplify the voices and leadership of women and young people through: 

• Funding and financing
• Advisory and sector expertise
• Technology
• Advocacy

Contact innovations@unfpa.org for more information. 

Updated 24 February 2026