A/HRC/32/28 Donor Contribution Biennium 2012-2013 Australia 387 580 Germany 475 664 Kazakhstan Norway 9 975 849 114 Biennium 2014-2015 Germany 242 843 Kazakhstan 53 890 Netherlands 30 000 Norway Oman Total contributions 601 732 10 000 4 585 913 37. Table 1 shows the detailed financial situation of the Voluntary Fund as at 31 December 2015 (statement of income and expenditure). 38. Since the establishment of the Voluntary Fund in 2009, 10 countries have made financial contributions: Australia, Colombia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman (pledges only), the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Table 2 provides an overview of all contributions received for the reporting period, from the establishment of the Voluntary Fund to 31 December 2015. Additional financial contributions from Germany in the amount of $109,649 were received during the period January-March 2016. 39. As noted above, the revitalized OHCHR strategic vision for universal periodic review follow-up, which enables OHCHR to provide to States systematic support that focuses on national follow-up mechanisms and processes, has started achieving sustained impact in a number of countries. It is expected that the demand for financial support from the Voluntary Fund will continue to increase during the next biennium. Hence, it is critical to expand the donor base of the Fund and to obtain further funding in order to sustain and ensure the universal application of the new strategic vision for follow-up to all Member States, in line with the universality principle of the universal periodic review mechanism. V. Conclusions 40. The primary responsibility for implementing recommendations of international human rights mechanisms at the country level rests with States. Hence, securing the political will and enhancing the ability of States to bring about tangible results is vital to meeting the key objectives of the universal periodic review, namely, improvement of the human rights situation on the ground. With a view to achieving these objectives, the Voluntary Fund has continued to serve as a valuable source of support for countries in the implementation of the recommendations emanating from their universal periodic review. 10

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