A/HRC/23/16
42.
For example, in the context of the ongoing work by the United Nations country team
in Tunisia in preparation for the common country assessment, the Board was informed by
the Resident Coordinator that a human rights-based approach and a results-based approach
were being fully applied, taking into account, for example, the recommendations made by
relevant human rights bodies, a number of which have undertaken visits in the past year to
the country. OHCHR plays an important role in supporting the United Nations country
team in this endeavour. This has led to, inter alia, the set-up of joint project documents with
UNDP on security sector reform and justice reform. Similar efforts have been made in
Mauritania, with a specific focus on recommendations on relevant topics that have been the
subject of study by a number of special procedures. In both cases, the universal periodic
review seems to provide a renewed framework for United Nations entities to apply an
increasingly proactive role in translating the intentions of a human rights-based approach
into practical actions. Furthermore, one expanding area of work is the integration of human
rights into national development plans, where a number of human rights advisers are
playing a pivotal role, for example in Ecuador, in particular with regard to the
operationalization of the application of a human rights-based approach to programmes and
budgets.
43.
In the above context, the efforts made by OHCHR at the global level to ensure
access to clustered and prioritized recommendations through the Universal Human Rights
Index, which includes all recommendations and concluding observations made by relevant
human rights mechanisms, including the universal periodic, are critical in providing key
elements for the preparation of United Nations country analysis and strategic programme
frameworks describing the collective response of the United Nations system to national
development priorities.
44.
Many of the above-mentioned recommendations could lead to requests for technical
cooperation. In a number of cases, OHCHR might be the best placed to provide support; in
many others, in the case of cross-cutting themes and complex issues, they might require
joint support from the entire United Nations country team or a number of United Nations
entities. This represents certainly an important opportunity to strengthen the human rights
focus of the technical cooperation programmes not only of OHCHR but also of the entire
United Nations system.
IV. Status of funding and donors
45.
The Board was updated at its meeting in January and February 2013 on the overall
financial status of OHCHR and its donors, the 2012 financial situation of the Voluntary
Fund for Technical Cooperation and its functioning in the overall funding system, including
interlinkages with other extrabudgetary resources. The Board was informed that
expenditures under the Voluntary Fund had been constantly increasing in recent years; the
increases had not, however, been matched by financial contributions. This situation raised
concern about the future of technical cooperation activities funded by the Voluntary Fund.
46.
The Board underlined the importance of ensuring continuous contributions to the
Fund. It expressed its support for the strategy of increasing the size of the donor base,
including enlarging the number of contributing Member States. The Board considers that an
increase in unearmarked funds will allow OHCHR to be more flexible in implementing
identified priorities. Detailed information on income and expenditure under the Voluntary
Fund is annexed to the present report.
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