Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the work of the HRC

At HRC41, the LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund will support of the participation of 15 delegates (13 women and 2 men) coming from the following countries:

1. Bahamas
2. Comoros
3. Dominica (without PM in Geneva)
4. Djibouti
5. Fiji
6. Gambia
7. Kiribati (without PM in Geneva)
8. Madagascar
9. Marshall Islands
10. Nauru
11. Nepal
12. Palau (without PM in Geneva)
13. Papua New Guinea (without PM in Geneva)
14. Rwanda
15. Vanuatu

Get to know the LDCs/SIDS Beneficiary delegates at HRC41 (bios and pictures)

Funding opportunities in 2019: deadlines for 2019 Fellowship and Delegates’ Programmes

The Secretariat of the LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund has the honour to inform them that: the deadline for the 2019 Fellowship Programme is 1 June 2019, and the deadlines for applications to participate in the fortieth session (25 February–22 March 2019), forty-first session (24 June–12 July 2019) and forty-second session (9–27 September 2019) of the Human Rights Council are the following:

• 1 January 2019 (for the 40th session)
• 1 April 2019 (for the 41st session)
• 1 July 2019 (for the 42nd session)

Only fully completed applications that are submitted prior to the deadline will be considered.

The note verbale, sample reply note verbale, Fellowship Programme form and relevant resolutions 19/26 and 34/40.

In accordance with the mandate of the Trust Fund, the LDCs and SIDS are invited to designate one Government official, at expert level, who has been working in the field of human rights for at least one year either in the capital or their Permanent Mission in New York.

Interested LDCs/SIDS delegations cannot apply for more than one opportunity offered by the Trust Fund in 2019, i.e. either for the Fellowship Programme or for no more than one session of the Human Rights Council. Applications from women are strongly encouraged.

Priority will be given to the LDCs and SIDS that:

1. have not yet benefited from the Trust Fund, namely: Comoros, Eritrea and Somalia;
2. do not have a permanent representation in Geneva ;and
3. to the SIDS that are serving as a member of the Human Rights Council in 2019.

Background

In accordance with its resolution 19/26 of 23 March 2012, the Human Rights Council (HRC) established 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 (HRC).

On 24 March 2017, the Human  Rights Council adopted  without a vote resolution 34/40 entitled Promoting the 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.

Resolution 34/40 was sponsored /co-sponsored by 120 countries hence becoming the second most sponsored resolution since the establishment of the Human Rights Council in 2006.

The Fund is managed by the Human Rights Council Branch of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and provides funding for various activities such as trainings, participation in HRC sessions, and fellowships. Learn more.

E-learning tool

The new e-Learning Tool on the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms aims to ensure an increase in the participation of LDCs and SIDS in the work of the Human Rights Council. It is the first-ever online (and free) training on the Human Rights Council designed for government officials, particularly those coming from LDCs and SIDS. Read more.

To have a look at the E-Learning watch the teaser in English   and in French

Access the E-Learning tool Learn and enjoy!