The Programme of Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights is funded from the regular budget of the United Nations and from the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights. In addition to financing from the regular budget and the Voluntary Fund, specific projects are sometimes funded by partners of the OHCHR in the United Nations system.
While a distinction is maintained between projects financed under the regular budget and those financed by the Voluntary Fund for purposes of accountability, reporting and budgetary information, projects are implemented, regardless of the source of funding, within the common context of a single, unified and comprehensive programme administered by the OHCHR.
The Activities and Programmes Branch is responsible through the Geographical Teams, assisted by the Methodology Team, for the Programme’s management. Administrative support is provided by the United Nations Office at Geneva, the United Nations Office for Project Services or the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as appropriate. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has overall responsibility for the programme, under the authority of the Secretary-General. The High Commissioner is mandated, under General Assembly resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993, to provide, through the OHCHR, advisory services and technical assistance at the request of States and, where appropriate, regional human rights organizations, with a view to supporting actions and programmes in the field of human rights.
In a further important development, the Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 1993/87 of 10 March 1993, requested the Secretary-General to appoint a board of trustees to assume the administration of the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights. The Board of Trustees was established in December 1993.
Since April 1999 a senior fund-raising officer has been operating at the OHCHR. As part of a new fund-raising strategy, the Office has developed a global Annual Appeal, beginning in the year 2000, which provides a detailed overview of planned activities and which it is hoped will encourage more predictable and timely funding and permit longer-term planning of activities. The Annual Appeal includes projects to be funded by the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation.