A/HRC/37/19 11. In regard to promotion and fundraising, a reception was hosted by the Permanent Mission of Czechia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, on 14 November 2017, to promote the Special Fund. The Chairs of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and of the Committee against Torture, and representatives of OHCHR, updated Member States on the outcomes of the projects supported by the Special Fund, highlighting their real impact on torture prevention on the ground. They encouraged further contributions, in order to enable the Special Fund to carry out its unique and very important work. III. Financial situation of the Special Fund 12. The Special Fund is the only functional fund established by an international human rights treaty. Since its creation in 2012, the Fund has supported a total of 36 projects, for a total amount of $1,258,400, in 13 States across four regions. 13. Fund activities should be commensurate with the growth of the activities of the Subcommittee, which have resulted in an expanding number of States eligible for the Fund: in 2015 there were 13 eligible States, and by the end of 2017 there were 22. This trend is expected to continue while countries are encouraged to ratify the Optional Protocol and to accept publication of the Subcommittee’s visit reports. 14. The minimum amount required on an annual basis to guarantee the functioning of the Special Fund would be some $500,000, which would enable the Fund to support an average of 10 to 20 projects per year, with a reasonable level of funding per project (e.g. $25,000). However, the Fund did not receive sufficient financial contributions during 2017; only two contributions totalling $50,437.70 were received, and one pledge of $139,040. Contributions to the Special Fund (1 January–31 December 2016) Donor Amount (United States dollars) Date of receipt Argentina $10 000 4 March 2016 Spain $38 846 29 November 2016 $7 849 6 December 2016 $222 930 8 December 2016 Czechia Germany Total contributions received $279 625 Contributions to the Special Fund (1 January–10 December 2017) Donor Czechia Spain Total contributions received Amount (United States dollars) Date of receipt $9 164.12 15 September 2017 $41 273.58 30 October 2017 $50 437.70 Pledges to the Special Fund (1 January–10 December 2017) Donor Germany Total contributions received Amount (United States dollars) Date of receipt $139 040 6 December 2016 $139 040 IV. Making a contribution 15. Contributions to the Special Fund may be accepted from Governments, intergovernmental or non-governmental organizations, private sector organizations and the 5