On Wednesday 15 January the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, launched the 2020 United Nations human rights funding appeal – requesting a total of $375.5 million to support existing and new programmes aimed at protecting and furthering human rights.
Despite human rights being one of the three main pillars of the United Nations, it remains critically underfunded compared to the other ‘pillars’, peace and security and development, which account for around 96.3% of the UN budget (33%; 66% respectively).
The other main pillars also have their own dedicated funds, meaning that overall funding for human rights is actually closer to 0.7% of the total UN budget.
Bachelet noted that, while her offices requests for funding have continued to increase, last year saw a decrease of some $10 million in voluntary contributions to the office compared to 2018. In addition, new restrictions were placed on funding that had previously been offered freely, so that over two thirds of the funds received were earmarked – the highest proportion in the past ten years.
In total, human rights received just $177.4 million of the $321.5 million requested in last year’s appeal.
As a result of this underfunding, human rights is often now referred to as the “forgotten pillar”.
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) hopes that this year’s appeal will receive greater support from the international community.
In her statement, Bachelet highlighted strengthening the work of field offices, as well as maintaining the quality and scope of support to Treaty Bodies and the Human Rights Council as key priorities of this year’s funding.
In addition, funding will also be used to strengthen OHCHR’s work in five key “frontier” areas; Climate change; the expanding digital space; corruption; inequalities; and the movement of people. These are areas that have been identified by the office as showing an accelerating impact on fundamental human rights.
Speaking on this years ambitions, Bachelet’s statement said:
“It will be a sizeable effort – an effort unmatched in the history of this Office. It will require us to innovate, to seek out partnerships, and to reach well beyond our current capacity. And it will require your help – your ideas, as well as your financial contributions.”
Speaking to VOA, human rights spokesperson Jeremy Laurence also singled out Africa as a region that will be of particular focus over the coming year, with his agency supplying resources, technical assistance and support to help vulnerable areas improve the human rights of their people.
A new office will be established in Sudan, as well as programs in Ethiopia being strengthened. The work done in the Sahel will also be expanded, including through the office in Niger.
Laurence hopes this concentrated funding will “enhance the benefit of those countries’ political transitions on their economies and societies”.
The news preceded the UK government’s announcement on Friday that it would channel £395m of it’s £14bn aid budget through the City into Africa as it seeks closer ties with the region post-Brexit.
Speaking of these plans, International Development secretary, Alok Sharma said:
“These new initiatives, announced ahead of the UK-Africa investment summit, will make it easier, greener and more secure to invest in Africa, mobilising billions of pounds of sustainable investment to help end poverty.”