LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund
In 2012, the Human Rights Council through resolution 19/26 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 Council. The LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund, operational since 2014, runs on voluntary contributions from UN member States.
The LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund aims to ensure that LDCs and SIDS, in particular those without permanent representation in Geneva, are able to participate and contribute to the work of the Council. It does so by providing training on human rights and engagement with the Council, fellowship programmes and practical induction trainings for delegates. More recently, it also provides annual briefings to delegates in New York on the engagement with the General Assembly, conducts regional workshops, and mandated the OHCHR to prepare an evaluation report to be presented at the 49th Council session.
Currently,
72 LDCs/SIDS are eligible to apply for the Trust Fund (14 Latin American and Caribbean States, 22 Asia-Pacific States, and 36 African State). Up to 10 delegates are supported per Council session and up to eight delegates per year for the fellowship programme. Participation of LDCs and SIDS delegates in Council sessions enables them to better advance and promote human rights issues that are of primary importance for their respective countries, such as climate change.
Latest news
Participation of LDCs/SIDS delegates at HRC48:
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At HRC48, the LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund will support the participation of 16 delegates (10 female, 6 men). The delegates are coming from the following countries (* including 3 without a Permanent Mission in Geneva):
- Benin*
- Cambodia
- Comoros
- Gambia
- Lesotho
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritius
- Nepal
- Saint Vincent and The Grenadines*
- Sudan
- Suriname*
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Uganda
- Zambia
*Without Permanent Mission in Geneva
Biographies of the 16 Beneficiary delegates at HRC 48 (PDF)
A record 160 UN Members States have supported the decision
L.23; A/HRC/DEC/46/115 by the Human Rights Council. Decision
L.23; A/HRC/DEC/46/115 is the most sponsored Human Rights Council resolution/decision since its establishment in 2006. The decision has been adopted without a vote during the 46th session of the Human Rights Council to hold a High Level Panel discussion on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of LDCs/SIDS in its work.
