A/HRC/37/3
administered UPR Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance provided
financial and technical assistance for activities in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados,
Botswana, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Iraq,
Lesotho, Paraguay, the Republic of Moldova, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and
Trinidad and Tobago. If contributions to the Voluntary Fund increase, OHCHR would be
able to respond even more effectively to such requests for assistance from Member States.
4.
Special procedures
14.
OHCHR continued to support 44 thematic and 12 country mandates. Comprehensive
information on the activities of the special procedures is contained in the report on the
twenty-third annual meeting of special rapporteurs/representatives, independent experts and
chairpersons of working groups of the special procedures (A/HRC/37/37 and Add.1).
5.
Comprehensive follow-up to the work of human rights mechanisms
15.
Multi-faceted efforts by OHCHR contributed to giving practical effect to the work
of the human rights mechanisms. Efforts included supporting the establishment and work of
national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up and the implementation of their
recommendations. The Universal Human Rights Index was upgraded, and work proceeded
on the launch of a national human rights recommendations tracking database in 2018.
16.
OHCHR field presences continued to assist in establishing or strengthening national
mechanisms for reporting and follow-up, including in Cape Verde, Lebanon and Papua
New Guinea. OHCHR also supported the development of strategies and tools for the
implementation of their recommendations, including in Argentina, Burkina Faso, Samoa
and South Sudan. The Office played a key role in enhancing the engagement of civil
society organizations with the mechanisms, for instance in Bolivia (Plurinational State of),
Honduras, Iraq, Jamaica, Myanmar, the Republic of Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, and
Tunisia, and their interaction with NMRFs, such as in Haiti, Serbia and the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
6.
Humanitarian funds
17.
The United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery and
the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, administered by OHCHR,
awarded grants totalling $553,000 and $7.1 million to support redress and rehabilitation for
more than 37,000 victims in 32 States, and for more than 45,000 victims in 75 States,
respectively. The latter fund also made emergency grants, and convened an expert
workshop on torture in the context of migration to highlight the particular challenges that
arise in this field, including in relation to the identification of migrants who are victims of
torture, obtaining redress for violations, and ensuring access to rehabilitation.
18.
The Special Fund established by the Optional Protocol to the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment awarded grants
amounting to $273,096 to support 11 prevention projects in nine States parties to the
Optional Protocol.
B.
1.
Enhancing equality and countering discrimination
Discrimination against migrants
19.
OHCHR enhanced its focus on the rights of people on the move and countering
xenophobia against migrants, especially those in vulnerable situations. It played a key role
in supporting and providing technical expertise to the consultations held in 2017 on the
global compacts on safe, orderly and regular migration and on refugees. OHCHR also
supported discussions in the Human Rights Council on issues relating to migration,
including on large movements, unaccompanied migrant children, and climate change and
migration.
20.
The Office provided training, technical advice and legal expertise on migration. In
addition, in September, an OHCHR team conducted a mission to El Salvador, Guatemala,
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