FUNDING United Nations Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance for the Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance for the Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review was established, in 2008, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 6/17. This financial mechanism was created to provide a source of financial and technical assistance to help countries implement the recommendations emanating from the UPR, in consultation with and with the consent of the countries concerned. Since its establishment, the UPR has completed two cycles and the human rights record of every UN Member State has been reviewed at least twice. The focus of the third cycle, which began in May 2017, is on the implementation of the accepted recommendations. UN Human Rights has been supporting States at their request or with their consent in implementing UPR recommendations, in particular through the use of the Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance for the Implementation of the UPR. Support is provided through UN Human Rights field presences or by integrating support into UNCT programming on follow-up. UN Human Rights also strives to meet the increasing number of direct requests from Member States to provide technical assistance for UPR implementation. 104 UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 FUNDING The primary areas of focus for the Voluntary Fund include the implementation of key UPR recommendations, strengthening the capacity of UNCTs, the establishment and/or strengthening of National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow-up (NMRFs), the development of comprehensive national human rights action plans and recommendation implementation plans, as well as the strengthening of parliamentary capacities for implementation. In 2018, the Fund provided financial and technical assistance for activities in Argentina, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Fiji, Jamaica, Mongolia, Niger and Uruguay. In addition to national-level activities, the Fund was used to organize a regional workshop for lusophone countries, in November, in Praia, Cabo Verde. The workshop was organized in cooperation with the Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa and UNDP and shared good practices related to preparation, reviews and implementation. It also focused on the implementation of human rights recommendations within the SDGs, including SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions). The workshop resulted in specific recommendations to strengthen human rights coordination and follow-up at the national level; integrate accepted UPR recommendations into SDG-related efforts; and ensure improved support from the international community and the UN system to Member States, including through Official Development Assistance. UN VOLUNTARY FUND FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UPR VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS IN 2018 Donor US$ France 23,229 Germany 124,224 Norway 357,270 Pakistan 3,000 Repulic of Korea 50,000 Russian Federation 200,000 Saudi Arabia 70,000 Singapore 5,000 Spain 56,818 TOTAL 889,541 Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the work of the Human Rights Council The Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the work of the Human Rights Council was established under Human Rights Council resolution 19/26, in 2012. The Fund became operational in 2014. The objective of the Fund is to enhance the institutional and human rights capacities of LDCs and SIDS through targeted training courses and travel assistance for delegates attending regular Council sessions and fellowship programmes. In 2018, the Trust Fund received US$1,194,314 in voluntary contributions. In 2018, 18 countries, including four new donors, contributed to the Trust Fund, representing a six-fold increase from the Trust Fund’s initial three donors in 2015. Since its establishment in 2014, the Trust Fund provided support to 110 delegates and fellows, including 65 women, from 69 of the 72 eligible LDCs/SIDS. In 2018, the Trust Fund provided support to 25 delegates from 25 LDCs/SIDS (10 from Africa, five from the Caribbean and Latin America and 10 from Asia and the Pacific). For all of them, it was their first time participating in a regular session of the Human Rights Council. Among the 25 delegates and fellows, 14 were women. Six delegates represented SIDS that do not have permanent representation in Geneva, namely, Antigua and Barbuda, Marshall Islands, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu. From 19-20 November, the Trust Fund and the Community of Caribbean Countries (CARICOM) collaborated to organize, as per Human Rights Council resolution 34/40, the first regional workshop, in Guyana, bringing together 23 former delegates and fellows of the Trust Fund from the Caribbean region. Participants adopted the “Georgetown Declaration: Towards 2022” aimed at enhancing the participation of SIDS in the work of the Council. The priorities agreed upon include the need to undertake concerted efforts to improve the functioning of the Trust Fund and ensure that discussions are held on topics of particular interest to Caribbean SIDS. VOLUNTARY FUND FOR PARTICIPATION OF LDCs AND SIDS IN THE WORK OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS IN 2018 Donor US$ Australia 73,260 Canada 78,555 Denmark 329,435 France 81,301 Georgia 5,000 Germany 186,335 Ireland 56,883 Italy 163,995 Norway 59,545 Pakistan 3,000 Poland 39,436 Portugal 11,429 Republic of Korea 50,000 Singapore 10,000 Slovenia 3,413 Spain 22,727 Switzerland 10,000 Turkey 10,000 TOTAL 1,194,314 UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 105