38/27 Operations of the Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance in the Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review - Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

GE.18-06675(E)



Human Rights Council Thirty-eighth session

18 June–6 July 2018

Agenda items 2 and 6

Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner

for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the

High Commissioner and the Secretary-General

Universal periodic review

Operations of the Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance in the Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review

Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for

Human Rights

United Nations A/HRC/38/27

I. Introduction

1. The present report is submitted in accordance with Human Rights Council decision

17/119, in which the Council requested the Secretariat to provide an annual written update

on the operations of the Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance in the

Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review and on the resources available to it. The

report was prepared by the Secretariat in consultation with the Board of Trustees of the

Fund. The report provides an overview of contributions and expenditure as at 31 December

2017, together with a description of action taken since the submission of the previous report

(A/HRC/35/18) to operationalize the Fund. It also provides a description of the results

achieved through the various activities funded by the Fund during 2017.

Background

2. In its resolution 6/17, the Human Rights Council requested the Secretary-General to

establish a voluntary fund for financial and technical assistance in order to provide, in

conjunction with multilateral funding mechanisms, a source of financial and technical

assistance to help countries implement recommendations emanating from the universal

periodic review in consultation with, and with the consent of the country concerned. In its

resolution 16/21, the Council requested that the Voluntary Fund be strengthened and

operationalized in order to provide a source of financial and technical assistance to help

countries, in particular least developed countries and small island developing States, to

implement the recommendations emanating from their review. The Council also requested

that a board of trustees be established in accordance with the rules of the United Nations.

3. The Voluntary Fund was established in 2009. The Office of the United Nations High

Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has begun to provide financial and technical

assistance to States that have requested or consented to receiving such support, in the spirit

of the founding resolution of the universal periodic review, in which it is stated that the

objectives of the review include the improvement of the human rights situation on the

ground (Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, annex, para. 4 (a)), the fulfilment of the

State’s human rights obligations and commitments (ibid., para. 4 (b)) and the enhancement

of the State’s capacity and of technical assistance, in consultation with, and with the

consent of, the State concerned (ibid., para. 4 (c)).

II. Operationalization of the Voluntary Fund

A. Board of Trustees of the Voluntary Fund

4. The members of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for

Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights also serve as the Board of Trustees for

the Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance in the Implementation of the

Universal Periodic Review. They are tasked with overseeing the management of the latter

Fund. The members are Marieclaire Acosta Urquidi (Mexico), Lin Lim (Malaysia),

Valeriya Lutkovska (Ukraine), Morten Kaerum (Denmark) and Esi Sutherland-Addy

(Ghana). The Board elected Ms. Acosta Urquidi as Chair for the period from 1 June 2017 to

30 June 2018.

5. In close consultation with the various sections of OHCHR, the Board of Trustees

focuses its attention on broadly guiding the operationalization of the Voluntary Fund for

Financial and Technical Assistance in the Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review

by providing policy advice.

6. The Board of Trustees undertook a field mission to the OHCHR Regional Office for

the Middle East and North Africa Region in Beirut from 24 to 27 October 2017. At its

eighth session, held in Beirut, the Board had strategic discussions with relevant OHCHR

officers on follow-up support, which focused on identifying strategic options for OHCHR

with regard to the provision of technical assistance and cooperation aimed at assisting

States to implement more effectively recommendations emanating from the universal

periodic review and other international human rights mechanisms at the country level.

7. During the session, the Board of Trustees acknowledged the results achieved by its

follow-up support strategy focusing on national follow-up mechanisms and processes at the

country level. The Board strongly encouraged OHCHR to explore ways of providing more

focused technical assistance and cooperation aimed at assisting States in implementing

specific key human rights recommendations and in addressing specific issues, together with

continuing support to States to establish and/or strengthen national mechanisms for

reporting and follow-up.

B. Strategic vision

8. As noted in previous reports (A/HRC/26/54, A/HRC/29/22, A/HRC/32/28 and

A/HRC/35/18), OHCHR has been developing the capacity to provide increased support to

States in their efforts to implement the outcome of the universal periodic review and other

international human rights mechanisms. That effort has been anchored in a holistic and

integrated approach that allows OHCHR to provide technical assistance and support, taking

into account not only the recommendations of the universal periodic review but also those

of the treaty bodies and the special procedures. Such an integrated approach gives States a

significant opportunity to address the key human rights issues identified in

recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms.

9. The third cycle of the universal periodic review has given OHCHR the opportunity

to strengthen its engagement with all States in the follow-up to and implementation of

recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms (in particular those

emanating from the review) through cooperative efforts and the sharing of best practices

among States and other stakeholders. The implementation of recommendations made

during the review will strengthen national human rights protection systems, strengthen

societal resilience and create an environment conducive to addressing the root causes of

human rights violations, and therefore, have a preventive effect.

10. OHCHR has been making every effort to make its follow-up support more proactive,

systematic and results-oriented. To that end, it has been engaging States in their efforts to

implement the recommendations of international human rights mechanisms by providing

support directly through its field presences or by ensuring the integration of support in

United Nations country team programming on follow-up.

11. In the light of this proactive approach, OHCHR has encouraged States to implement

the recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms more effectively, in

particular those accepted by States in the context of the universal periodic review. To that

end, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has systematically

addressed letters to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the States reviewed, starting from

the third cycle. In his letters, the High Commissioner identifies key thematic areas requiring

the special attention of the Governments concerned over the next four and a half years, until

the next review cycle. He also highlights the importance of establishing and/or

strengthening a national mechanism for comprehensive follow-up and reporting with regard

to international and regional human rights mechanisms and the State’s treaty obligations.

12. The follow-up support given to States has been gathering momentum, in particular

in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. In his latest annual report on the work

of the Organization (A/72/1), the Secretary-General pointed out that the universal periodic

review process was entering a new cycle, and that efforts would be made to strengthen the

relevance, precision and impact of the recommendations made by the Human Rights

Council, including by providing better support to Member States in implementation,

stronger collaboration with United Nations country teams and the establishment of national

mechanisms for human rights reporting and follow-up to link the universal periodic review

to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

13. On 26 February 2018, at its thirty-seventh session, the Human Rights Council held

its annual high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming, on the promotion

and protection of human rights in the light of the universal periodic review mechanism:

challenges and opportunities. The issues for discussion included, the importance of

universal periodic review recommendations, which can serve as a key entry point for

cooperation with and action by Governments, the United Nations system and the

international community at large, including donors; contributing to international

cooperation through the sharing of best practices; the critical role of coordination

mechanisms in reporting and follow-up; strengthening coordination at the United Nations-

level through the mainstreaming of human rights into United Nations country team and

individual programmes, and planning and programming of agencies; and strengthening

South-South and North-South cooperation and international donor coordination.

14. Participants in the panel discussion highlighted the fact that the substantive issues

raised during the universal periodic review often mirrored the recommendations of other

human rights mechanisms, forming a cross-section of critical gaps in human rights at the

country level which, if addressed, would build more resilient societies and sustain

development and peace. Panel members identified the need for strong coordination of

implementation efforts at the national level by national reporting and follow-up

mechanisms. The role of national human rights institutions and non-governmental

organizations at the national and international levels was emphasized, as was the

importance of non-retaliation for any form of cooperation with United Nations human

rights mechanisms. Discussions also focused on the complementarity between the 2030

Agenda for Sustainable Development and the universal periodic review. The panel

identified the review as a unique opportunity for States to ground their national

development programmes and policies and to move the 2030 Agenda forward, supported by

the United Nations system at the national level, under the leadership of the United Nations

Resident Coordinator and the international donor community.

15. Accordingly, OHCHR has focused its support on establishing and/or strengthening

national mechanisms and processes for follow-up. Key elements identified for more

effective follow-up at the national level include a well-functioning inter-institutional body;

an implementation action plan that clearly identifies achievable results and priorities;

national government agencies responsible for implementation; and indicators and timelines

against which to measure impact. OHCHR is also developing various follow-up tools that

link the implementation of recommendations made by human rights mechanisms with the

Sustainable Development Goals.

16. OHCHR has in addition received more direct requests from States to provide

technical assistance to address key thematic human rights issues identified in the

recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms as priority issues for

implementation on the ground. Nonetheless, the actual number of direct requests received is

still negligible.

17. In order to provide more effective support to States in implementing key priority

recommendations of international human rights mechanisms, OHCHR will seek to ensure

that universal periodic review outcomes are (a) fully integrated and mainstreamed into

United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks, integrated strategic frameworks in

peacekeeping missions, and national development action plans; (b) are used as a tool for

conflict prevention and reduction. A thorough analysis of review outcomes, together with

the work of other human rights mechanisms, such as the concluding observations of treaty

bodies, the findings and recommendations of special procedures, and the findings of

commission of inquiries mandated by the Human Rights Council, can provide an indication

of where a potential conflict is likely, and of the measures that the international community

should take to reduce conflict. OHCHR will also strive to provide technical assistance and

cooperation to States with a view to integrating review outcomes fully into national

frameworks and processes for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

18. Equally important, OHCHR will make every effort to ensure that the Voluntary

Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance in the Implementation of the Universal

Periodic Review is better resourced, which will allow OHCHR to increase its technical

assistance in building the capacities of States and other stakeholders, such as national

human rights institutions and civil society organizations, to implement recommendations

made by international human rights mechanisms in a holistic and integrated manner.

III. Results achieved through the implementation of activities supported by the Voluntary Fund during 2017

19. In Barbados, the Voluntary Fund, with the assistance of a national human rights

adviser, supported a follow-up activity to the regional workshop on the death penalty held

in 2016. In addition, a human rights training workshop was held for government officials in

Antigua and Barbuda in December 2017. Multiple training sessions were organized for

government officials of the Barbados national mechanism for reporting and follow-up, on

drafting the State’s national report for the universal periodic review. Workshops for civil

society organizations on drafting stakeholder submissions for the upcoming review of

Barbados was also held. In addition, the national human rights adviser organized a two-day

workshop on access to justice for LGBTI civil society organizations, in collaboration with

the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality, and a two-day meeting on the

death penalty, which included a public opinion survey and a sensitization seminar. The

adviser also facilitated consultations between the Barbados national mechanism for

reporting and follow-up and civil society organizations to assist in the drafting of the State

report for the review.

20. OHCHR provided support in Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and Antigua with

a view to increasing compliance and engagement with international human rights

mechanisms both by the Governments of and civil society organizations in these States.

Another objective of the support was to strengthen the capacity of civil society

organizations to send communications to special procedures with regard to human rights

violations in the region.

21. In Cambodia, OHCHR, with the help of the funding provided by the Voluntary

Fund, supported a proposal aimed at building the capacity of three target groups. First, it

provided support to civil society bodies to build their capacity to advocate draft laws,

prakas (proclamations) or sub-decrees that may have an impact on the freedoms of

assembly, association, expression and movement. Second, it provided support to build the

capacity of subnational authorities to implement the Peaceful Demonstration Law and the

2015 Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO) in accordance

with international standards of freedoms of expression, association and assembly. Third, it

provided support to judges and prosecutors in order for them to apply international human

rights law, in particular in the areas of pretrial detention and case management.

22. Despite serious impediments caused by the electoral context and the Government’s

crackdown on civil and political rights, OHCHR organized a legal symposium with the

Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and the International Trade Union

Confederation, which brought together some 100 representatives of the Government, the

International Labour Organization, the international community and other stakeholders.

During the symposium, information was shared on the latest developments and challenges

with regard to the national legal framework and enforcement mechanisms relating to the

setting of the minimum wage and wage negotiations, trade union registration, collective

bargaining and dispute resolution. OHCHR also carried out a series of capacity-building

activities in order to raise awareness among non-governmental organizations, associations,

trade unions and community-based activists from different sectors on the right to peaceful

assembly under international human rights standards and relevant national legislation.

23. OHCHR conducted initial training and follow-up visits to assess the implementation

of the pretrial detention form between 2014 and 2016. It found that the form was

increasingly used by judges, with sound legal reasoning and clear duration of detention

periods in some cases. At the same time, it noted that some judges were still reluctant to use

the form, partly because they were unaware of how to reason their decisions. Accordingly,

OHCHR organized a training session for 30 judges, including 2 women, to explain the new

procedure once again and to analyse concrete examples of how reasoning was developed.

OHCHR intends to follow up with these judges to assess the use of the new form, which

reiterates the view that pretrial detention should only be used in exceptional cases, and

allows the accused to challenge detention in compliance with international standards.

24. The three fundamental laws on the judiciary, adopted in 2014, establish, inter alia, a

court administration office, which separates adjudicative work from administrative work.

Court administration offices have been set up in each court throughout the country, and a

head of office has been appointed to each one. The laws do not, however, provide clear

guidance on the specific role, duties and responsibilities of each actor within the judiciary

under the new system, which has led to general confusion. OHCHR therefore, jointly with

the Supreme Council of the Magistracy, organized three meetings, which allowed 203

participants, including 10 women, to discuss some of the pending overall issues in the

implementation of the new legal framework governing the judiciary. During the meetings,

representatives of the Supreme Council and the Ministry of Justice provided guidance and

answered questions. Issues requiring further analysis were followed up on by the Supreme

Council of Magistracy, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Justice. This initiative is

expected to lead to an increased and improved implementation of the three fundamental

laws, a positive step towards the judicial reform process in Cambodia.

25. In the Dominican Republic, an independent assessment of the Office of the

Ombudsman (Defensor del Pueblo) was initiated in February 2017 by OHCHR. In this

regard, a number of activities were planned, including two workshops aimed at gathering

relevant information and at raising awareness of Office personnel of their role and the need

to comply with the Paris Principles.

26. Drawing on its own expertise and that of the national human rights institutions of

Colombia and Costa Rica, OHCHR provided support to help to bring the Office of the

Ombudsman into compliance with the Paris Principles. An independent capacity

assessment was to be completed by March 2018, while preliminary observations and

recommendations were already shared with the Office. Some of the recommendations, in

particular those relating to the handling of complaints and thematic prioritization, have been

gradually implemented.

27. In addition, the OHCHR human rights adviser provided advice, input and a

comparative analysis of different pieces of legislation that were used to draft a new project

to reform the law establishing the Office of the Ombudsman in 2001. The draft bill was

presented by two Congress members in June 2017, and will be discussed in 2018. The bill

is intended to harmonize the legal framework of the Office with the Constitution adopted in

2010 and to ensure compliance with the Paris Principles.

28. In Costa Rica, OHCHR provided technical assistance with the aim of strengthening

internal management and coordination of the Inter-Institutional Commission for the

Monitoring and Implementation of International Human Rights Obligations. It also aimed

to strengthen the capacity both of members of the Commission and other public officials by

means of a training course on building indicators using a human rights-based approach. The

course was developed under the auspices of the OHCHR Central American Regional

Office, and involved 32 State institutions and decentralized entities, targeting in particular

officials responsible for planning and the development of indicators in their respective

institutions. Recommendations of international human rights mechanisms were also

disseminated by means of the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship.

29. In addition, a permanent consultation body with civil society was established on 4

December 2017. The establishment process was coordinated by the technical secretariat of

the Inter-institutional Commission, the Office of the Ombudsman and the United Nations

entities present in the State. The consultation body has registered 60 civil society

organizations, whose work is to promote and protect human rights, particularly the rights of

women, persons with disabilities, children, indigenous peoples, African descendants,

migrants and refugees, trade unions, and LGBTIQ persons. The official dialogue process

between the State and civil society organizations has commenced through the consultation

body on issues related to international human rights obligations, particularly the reporting

process to United Nations bodies.

30. In the Republic of Moldova, OHCHR, in an effort to strengthen the national

normative and institutional anti-discrimination framework, made an instrumental

contribution to a package of amendments to (a) civil legislation on the legal capacity of

persons with disabilities, in order to align it with recommendations made in the context of

the universal periodic review and international human rights standards contained in the

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; (b) policy documents with regard to

the system for the identification of disability, and deinstitutionalization reform; (c) strategic

policy documents on minority rights; (d) drafts of the National Human Rights Action Plan

and the 2030 National Development Strategy; and (e) the draft of the new health code and

law on medicines. The recommendations made during the review of the Republic of

Moldova have served as the basis for analysis and advice in this regard.

31. The capacity of the Office of the Ombudsman and the Equality Council were

significantly increased by a number of training sessions and coaching on discrimination

monitoring, public reporting and anti-discrimination law and policy analysis. For instance,

in December 2017, the Office issued a first strategic report on an individual case of gross

human rights violations (the Braguta case), which included an analysis of acts of

discrimination.

32. OHCHR, with a view to increasing the capacity of stakeholders to advance minority

rights, including the rights of Roma people, considerably strengthened several key

platforms, such as the Minority Youth Group for Interethnic Solidarity and the National

Association of Community Mediators, which in the space of a year developed to national

prominence in their respective fields, namely in the defence of minority rights and Roma

rights. In December 2017, the Government decided to allocate full funding for all envisaged

positions of Roma community mediators, thereby implementing a recommendation often

made in the context of the universal periodic review and by the Special Rapporteur on

minority issues. Engagement on human rights with local public authorities in the Gagauzia,

Taraclia and Basarabeasca regions by means of visits and training sessions laid the

foundation for a platform designed to strengthen human rights work in these regions in

2018 and beyond.

33. In Paraguay, the human rights indicators of persons with disabilities of the national

plan of action for the rights of persons with disabilities, formulated on the basis of the

OHCHR methodology for human rights indicators and linked to the Sustainable

Development Goals and targets, were approved in October 2017. In December 2017, with

the technical support of OHCHR, the Subcommittee for the Preparation of the National

Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Plan approved three phases to be

incorporated into the Plan on follow-up by the State, monitoring by civil society and other

actors, and evaluation by civil society and the State.

34. The capacity of persons with disabilities and their organizations was strengthened,

particularly with regard to claiming their rights and monitoring the implementation of the

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A number of training sessions and

workshops were organized by OHCHR for civil society organizations, including new

members of the National Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In

October 2017, members of civil society organizations and the National Commission, with

the technical support of OHCHR, met with representatives of organizations for disabled

persons to discuss and request their inputs with regard to the bill on an independent national

mechanism for the human rights of persons with disabilities prior to the submission of the

bill to Parliament.

35. In the framework of strengthening civil society for active participation in the

implementation and monitoring of international human rights recommendations and the

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Forum on Human Rights and Sustainable

Development was held on 1 December 2017 with the technical support of OHCHR and in

conjunction with the Commission of the Sustainable Development Goals of Paraguay. On

the same day, a new monitoring system for recommendations, SIMORE Plus, was

presented. During the presentation, in which representatives of civil society organizations

participated, a space for dialogue was sought among the stakeholders involved in the

implementation and monitoring of the recommendations made by international human

rights mechanisms and the Sustainable Development Goals.

IV. Financial situation of the Voluntary Fund

Table 1

Statement of income and expenditure for the period 1 January–31 December 2017

(United States dollars)

I. Income

Voluntary contributions received in 2017 540 918

Gain/loss on exchange 16 449

Pledges received 100 000

Government of the United Arab Emirates (unpaid)

Interest and miscellaneous income 12 768

Total income 670 135

II. Expenditure

Staff costs 83 468

Other personnel costs (consultants’ fees and travel) 108 929

Staff travel 10 556

Travel of representatives/participants to meetings and seminars 47 628

Contractual services 76 230

General operating and other direct costs 196

Equipment, vehicles and furniture -

Grants out (<$50,000) and fellowships -

Programme support (indirect) costs 42 511

Total expenditure 369 518

Adjustments to prior year expenditure (liquidation of commitments) 471 025

Net excess (shortfall) of income over expenditures for the period 771 642

Opening balance 1 January 2017

Other adjustments (prior period)

776 269

Unpaid pledges 100 000

Total fund balance as at 31 December 2017 1 447 911

Table 2

Contributions to the Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance in the

Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review, from the establishment of the Fund

to 31 December 2017

(United States dollars)

Donor Contribution

Year 2008/09

Colombia 40 000

Russian Federation 450 000

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 45 326

Biennium 2010–2011

Germany 148 148

Morocco 500 000

Russian Federation 200 000

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 133 707

Donor Contribution

Biennium 2012–2013

Australia 387 580

Germany 475 664

Kazakhstan 9 975

Norway 849 114

Biennium 2014–2015

Germany 242 843

Kazakhstan 53 890

Netherlands 30 000

Norway 601 732

Oman 10 000

Biennium 2016–2017

France 21 231

Germany 111 982

Kazakhstan 10 000

Norway 252 191

Paraguay 3 000

Republic of Korea 25 000

Saudi Arabia 75 000

Spain 58 962

Total contributions 4 735 345

36. Table 1 shows the detailed financial situation of the Voluntary Fund as at 31

December 2017 (statement of income and expenditure).

37. Since the establishment of the Voluntary Fund in 2009, 15 States have made

financial contributions: Australia, Colombia, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Morocco, the

Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Paraguay, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation,

Saudi Arabia, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Table

2 provides an overview of all contributions received from the establishment of the

Voluntary Fund to 31 December 2017.

38. It is expected that, given that the revitalized OHCHR strategic vision for follow-up

support focuses on providing support to States in implementing key thematic priority

recommendations in a holistic and integrated manner, the demand from States for financial

support from the Voluntary Fund will continue and indeed increase. Hence, it is critical to

extend the donor base of the Fund and to obtain additional funding in order to make a more

sustained impact in providing technical assistance and support to States for more effective

implementation of recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms at the

State level. In this regard, the increase in both the amount of contributions and the number

of donors during the 2016–2017 biennium is significant.

V. Conclusions

39. The primary responsibility for implementing the recommendations made by

international human rights mechanisms rests with the State. Hence, securing the

political will of States and enhancing their capacity to implement recommendations is

vital to meeting the key objective of the universal periodic review, namely,

improvement of the human rights situation on the ground.

40. As stated by the Secretary-General in his latest report on the work of the

Organization (A/72/1), the United Nations will provide better support to Member

States in implementation, stronger collaboration with United Nations country teams

and the establishment of national mechanisms for human rights reporting and follow-

up to link the universal periodic review to the implementation of the Sustainable

Development Goals.

41. This vision was further elaborated by the Secretary-General in his report on

strengthening United Nations action in the field of human rights through the

promotion of international cooperation and the importance of non-selectivity,

impartiality and objectivity (A/72/351), in which he explained that the increased focus

on the follow-up to and implementation of recommendations made by human rights

mechanisms provided the United Nations system with an opportunity to engage with

Member States. International cooperation, including through human rights

mechanisms and their recommendations, provided an important basis for States to

achieve greater results in both the implementation of the Sustainable Development

Goals and human rights protection at the country level. Technical assistance in the

field of human rights should be based on such recommendations and be provided in

closer cooperation and partnership with Member States, regional human rights

mechanisms, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and

the wider United Nations system.

42. The emphasis on implementation was also one of the key outcomes of the

annual high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming, held on 26

February 2018 during the thirty-seventh session of the Human Rights Council,

pursuant to its resolution 16/21, which had as its theme “The promotion and

protection of human rights in the light of the universal periodic review mechanism:

challenges and opportunities”. During the panel discussion, participants pointed out

that the substantive issues raised during the universal periodic review often mirrored

the recommendations of other human rights mechanisms, forming a cross-section of

critical human rights gaps at the country level which, if addressed, would build more

resilient societies and sustain development and peace. The panel identified the need

for strong coordination of implementation efforts at the national level through

national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up. The role of national human rights

institutions and non-governmental organizations at the national and international

levels was emphasized, as was the importance of non-retaliation for any form of

cooperation with United Nations human rights mechanisms. Discussions also focused

on the complementarity between the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and

the universal periodic review. The panel identified the review as a unique opportunity

for States to ground national development programmes and policies in human rights

and to move the implementation of the 2030 Agenda forward, supported by the United

Nations system at the national level, under the leadership of the United Nations

Resident Coordinator and the international donor community.

43. OHCHR will continuously rethink and revitalize its strategic vision for follow-

up support with the advice of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, in order to provide

more effective support to States. It will therefore continue to (a) provide capacity-

building to States to enable them to prepare more meaningful national reports on

implementation through the provision of training for the government actors

concerned; and (b) enable States to meet their commitments by supporting them in

the implementation of key thematic priority recommendations. In this regard,

OHCHR will continue to seek to integrate recommendations from international

human rights mechanisms into the national planning processes; utilize international

human rights recommendations for early warning/conflict prevention; and ensure

that the recommendations become a crucial element in the implementation of the

Sustainable Development Goals by integrating them into relevant national

implementation frameworks and action plans.

44. The above approach fits within the wider approach of the Office to leverage

international human rights mechanisms. OHCHR has prioritized United Nations

human rights mechanisms as one of the key pillars in its strategic focus for the next

four years, through the organizational management plan for 2018–2021. This will

allow all parts of OHCHR to effectively deliver quality support to human rights

mechanisms and to use and integrate consistently their output in all aspects of the

Office’s work.

45. OHCHR has focused its support on establishing and/or strengthening national

follow-up mechanisms and processes, including for the establishment of standing State

institutions, such as national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up. OHCHR will

continue to support such mechanisms, while the Voluntary Fund will continue to

support States in fulfilling their commitments to implement priority thematic human

rights recommendations accepted during their universal periodic review and those

from other international human rights mechanisms.

46. OHCHR will continue its efforts to share with States and other United Nations

partners the tools available for integrating and mainstreaming the recommendations

of international human rights mechanisms into their programmes, such as in United

Nations development assistance frameworks and the national development action

plans. It will provide States, on their request, with a database that will allow them to

plan and monitor the progress of the implementation of recommendations made by

international human rights mechanisms. OHCHR will also continue to document good

practices that have emerged from the follow-up support process, and share them with

States and other stakeholders.

47. In recognition of the close linkage of effective follow-up support to States to the

implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, OHCHR will

continue to develop tools that not only enable States to implement the

recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms and achieve the

Sustainable Development Goals, but also help stake other stakeholders to monitor and

track the implementation of recommendations and the Goals by States through the

more effective use of the funds made available by the Voluntary Fund.

48. OHCHR once again emphasizes the importance of the active participation of

other stakeholders in the follow-up process, a key factor in achieving sustained

impact. It will therefore continue to explore ways and means by which stakeholders

can benefit from the Voluntary Fund, either directly or indirectly, by becoming

involved in the technical cooperation and assistance programmes of the States

concerned to be assisted by the Fund.

49. While welcoming the recent slight increase in contributions to the Voluntary

Fund, OHCHR reiterates its call for more contributions to be made. With further

resources, the Fund will enable OHCHR to provide more effective support to States in

implementing the recommendations of international human rights mechanisms.