Funding and budget

OHCHR is funded from:

• The United Nations regular budget.
• Voluntary contributions from Member States, intergovernmental organizations, foundations and individuals.  

Regular budget funding for the 2008-2009 biennium:

• $115.3 million, or 2.89% of the United Nations' global budget of $4.17 billion. 

This represents an increase of $ 35.8 million over the previous biennium, reflecting the commitment given by leaders at the 2005 World Summit to double, over five years, funding for OHCHR under the regular budget.

Voluntary contributions:

• US$ 119.9 million in 2008 -an increase of $24.2 million compared with 2007.
• Since 2002, the level of contributions has risen by more than 190%.
• 54% of all contributions received in 2008 were unearmarked, compared with 43% in 2007, 37% in 2006, 26% in 2005 and 20% in 2004. 

Who funds OHCHR?

• Member States provided some 89% of all voluntary funding in 2008.
• International organizations, including the European Commission, contributed some 10.4%.
• Private donors, including foundations, companies and individuals, accounted for 0.6% of voluntary funding.
• The number of institutional donors (i.e. Governments, foundations and companies) increased from 65 in 2006 to 93 in 2008, with the number of Governments contributing rising from 61 to 83.  

See also:

• Voluntary Contributions to OHCHR 2000-2007 (JPEG - 600KB)
• Earmarked versus unearmarked funding 2002-2007 (JPEG - 180KB)
• Unearmarked voluntary contributions to OHCHR in 2007 (JPEG - 50KB)
• Voluntary contributions in 2007 (JPEG - 140KB)
• Donor Profiles (PDF – 1.3MB)
   

Regular budget versus extrabudgetary funding

• Regular budget funding 2008: 34.9% of total expenditure, compared to 33.5% in 2007
• Voluntary funding 2008: 65.1% of total expenditure, compared to 66.5% in 2007

The objective remains to reduce, over time, the share of spending paid for by voluntary contributions from the current two thirds to something closer to three fifths. Assuming further increases in regular budget funding are approved, OHCHR remains on course to achieve this objective by the end of the period of the High Commissioner’s Plan of Action, that is by 2010-2011.

Universal donorship appeal

In December 2007, the High Commissioner launched a universal donorship appeal linked to the 60th anniversary, on Human Rights Day 2008, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The appeal was aimed at broadening support for OHCHR’s work among Member States. All Member States, including those who had not previously made a voluntary contribution to OHCHR, were encouraged to do so in 2008 and beyond as a way of symbolizing their support for the ideals enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. More information on this appeal is available by clicking on the above link.

How to make a contribution

OHCHR accepts contributions from Member States, intergovernmental organizations, foundations, voluntary associations, NGOs and individuals.

If you or the institution you represent would like to make a contribution, please contact:
Charles Radcliffe
Chief of OHCHR's Donor and External Relations Section in Geneva
Tel: +41 22 917 94 38
Fax: +41 22 917 96 44
Email: dexrel@ohchr.org