DEC/24/118 Establishment of a special fund for the participation of civil society in the Social Forum, the Forum on Minority Issues and the Forum on Business and Human Rights

GE.13-17791

Human Rights Council Twenty-fourth session

Agenda item 5 Human rights bodies and mechanisms

Decision adopted by the Human Rights Council

24/118.

Establishment of a special fund for the participation of civil

society in the Social Forum, the Forum on Minority Issues

and the Forum on Business and Human Rights

At its 37th meeting, on 27 September 2013, the Human Rights Council decided to adopt the text below:

“The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the Charter of the United Nations,

Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006 and Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007,

Recalling also Human Rights Council resolution 6/13 of 28 September 2007 and all subsequent Council resolutions on the Social Forum, Council resolution 6/15 of 28 September 2007 and all subsequent Council resolutions on the Forum on Minority Issues, and Council resolution 17/4 of 16 June 2011 and all subsequent Council resolutions on the Forum on Business and Human Rights,

Acknowledging that civil society, including non-governmental organizations, play an important role at the national, regional and international levels in the promotion and protection of all human rights,

Noting the insufficiency of funding for the Social Forum, the Forum on Minority Issues and the Forum on Business and Human Rights to ensure broad participation, particularly from relevant parts of civil society that may not be able to finance their own travel,

 The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of

the Council on its twenty-fourth session (A/HRC/24/2), Part One.

1. Requests the Secretary-General to establish a special fund for the participation of civil society and other relevant stakeholders in the Social Forum, the Forum on Minority Issues and the Forum on Business and Human Rights, to be administered by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in accordance with the financial regulations and rules of the General Assembly, which would be used to support the participation of civil society representatives and other relevant stakeholders in the annual meetings of the Social Forum, the Forum on Minority Issues and the Forum on Business and Human Rights in accordance with the mandates of these forums, and requests the Office of the High Commissioner to report thereon;

2. Decides that the Special Fund for the Participation of Civil Society in the Social Forum, the Forum on Minority Issues and the Forum on Business and Human Rights should aim to facilitate the broadest possible participation of civil society representatives and other relevant stakeholders, and to give priority to the participation of local or national- level non-governmental organizations active in the relevant fields, with particular attention being paid to participants from least developed countries, and that the resources of the Special Fund should be utilized in such a manner as to ensure equal or adequate levels of support for each of the forums;

3. Calls upon States to support the participation of civil society and other relevant stakeholders in the Social Forum, the Forum on Minority Issues and the Forum on Business and Human Rights and, to that end, to make voluntary contributions to the Special Fund;

4. Encourages intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other private or public entities to make voluntary contributions to the Special Fund.”

[Adopted without a vote.]