A/HRC/20/39 I. Introduction A. Submission of the report 1. The present report is submitted in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 16/22 and decision 17/119, in which the Council requested the secretariat to provide an annual written update on the operations of the Voluntary Fund for participation in the universal periodic review and resources available to it. The present report provides an overview of the activities funded, as well as contributions received and expenditures incurred, on the basis of the terms of reference of the Fund. As this is the first such report prepared by the secretariat, information is provided retroactively to the establishment of the Fund in 2008. B. Establishment of the Fund 2. In its resolution 5/1, the Human Rights Council called for the establishment of a voluntary trust fund to facilitate the participation of developing countries, particularly least developed countries, in the universal periodic review mechanism. At its sixth session, the Council adopted resolution 6/17, in which it reiterated its request for the Secretary-General to establish, inter alia, such a fund and requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to take the necessary measures with a view to expeditiously operationalizing the mechanism, and urged all member States, observers and other stakeholders of the Council to support its operationalization. 3. Following the approval of its terms of reference, the Fund became operational as a voluntary trust fund administered by the Secretary-General through OHCHR. Given the nature of the Fund and the activities it was designed to support, it was deemed unnecessary to establish a board of trustees. II. Mandate of the Fund 4. The Fund can receive voluntary contributions from States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations or private institutions and individuals. Financial assistance may be requested by developing countries, in particular least developed countries, that are States Members of the United Nations. A. Travel to meetings 5. The Fund was established to provide financial support for, inter alia: (a) The travel of official representatives of developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, to Geneva to present the national report, take part in the ensuing interactive dialogue and be involved in the adoption of the report in the sessions of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review during which their country is considered; (b) The travel of official representatives of developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, that are members of the Human Rights Council and that do not have a permanent mission in Geneva, to act as rapporteurs (that is, a member of the ―troika‖). 6. During the first cycle, in response to the request of numerous member States, the activities of the Fund were expanded to include funding for the participation of developing 3