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Info Service on UN Sustainable Development (Feb24/02) Penang, 31 Jan (Kanaga Raja) — The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Volker Turk, on 30 January appealed for USD 500 million in annual funding for his Office this year, in order to “address some of the biggest human rights challenges humanity is facing now, and will face in the future.” “We are living in profoundly divided times. Conflict continues to spiral in many parts of the world, most recently in the Middle East,” said Mr Turk in a speech to the diplomatic community in Geneva. He added that “these wars are etching deep scars – breeding grievances that, without justice, will greatly harm the future of entire nations, driving more polarization, and creating deeper fractures.” “Ultimately, my Office’s commitment – its mandate – is to effect meaningful change in people’s lives. I am appealing today for 500 million US dollars to boost considerably our ability to do so, and address some of the biggest human rights challenges we are facing now and will face in the future,” said the human rights chief. To enable his Office to deliver effectively on its extensive mandate, predictable, flexible and sustainable funding is needed, said Mr Turk. The High Commissioner noted that 2023 was an important year of collective reflection, “of renewed commitment to reclaim our rights and freedoms, and a shared desire to change course.” “More than ever, we need this deepened resolve to help bring the world back from the brink,” he added. “Last year, the hottest on record, is further proof that we are not acting well enough and quick enough to prevent our children and future generations inheriting an unrecognizable and uninhabitable planet,” said Mr Turk. “Everywhere, we are seeing severe economic pain, reversing years of progress. Hunger, poverty and inequalities of such towering dimensions not only harm individuals: they profoundly undermine social harmony and peace.” And digital technology continues its rapid growth, bringing with it both significant opportunities and massive human rights risks, said the High Commissioner. “We must remain cautious of disinformation, for example, as millions go to the polls this year to vote in some 70 elections scheduled to take place around the world.” In his speech, the High Commissioner highlighted the notable achievements registered by his Office in 2023. He said that in 2023, his Office saw the direct impact of the work of his 1,962 staff working in 91 countries. “My Office’s advocacy contributed to the release of some 13,476 detainees.” “Our staff undertook some 3,664 human rights monitoring missions, and monitored at least 1,088 trials. In total, they documented around 27,804 situations of human rights violations,” the human rights chief said. With the support of our Slavery and Torture Funds, organizations provided direct support to 12,130 survivors of contemporary forms of slavery and their families, and assisted 59,389 survivors of torture and their families, he added. Mr Turk said that his Office’s advocacy around the world also strongly contributed to an estimated 43 countries significantly improving their legislation or policy in line with international human rights standards. He said in 2023, at least 19 countries established National Human Rights Institutions – crucial bodies to oversee a nation’s efforts to protect human rights – or increased their existing institutions’ compliance with international standards. Over the past five years, countries have made a total of 116 ratifications of international human rights treaties. “And in line with the vision of a human rights economy, our staff have now implemented more than 65 country projects towards advancing social security, health, water, housing and other rights, while contributing to national development plans and strategies,” said the High Commissioner. He noted that in 2023, Member States and other funding partners generously donated USD 283.2 million in voluntary contributions to the work of his Office. “Yet – we are still falling drastically short of the funding we need to provide human rights solutions that are more effective and wider-reaching,” he said. “Solutions that we desperately need in today’s world marked by breakneck pace shifts and persistent, urgent challenges.” Less than one third of last year’s contributions were unearmarked, said Mr Turk, pointing out that this funding approach “severely limits our capacity to allocate resources where they are most needed.” “We need to reverse urgently the historic under-funding that has marred human rights: one of the three pillars of the United Nations,” he added. “We also need to acknowledge the massive and serious liquidity crisis that the entire United Nations System is facing.” He noted that the UN Secretary-General alerted Member States a few days ago of the deteriorating financial situation of the regular budget operations. He has also reminded Member States that responsibility for the United Nation’s financial health rests with them, said Mr Turk. In appealing for USD 500 million in funding for this year, Mr Turk said his Office’s Management Plan over the next four years has been shaped by broad consultations with Member States, civil society, the private sector, the UN System and other stakeholders. The High Commissioner underlined that six pillars will continue to guide the work: to foster participation; to fight discrimination; to embed human rights in peace and security efforts; to ensure human rights are central to development; to enhance accountability; and to increase support to the human rights ecosystem. Amongst others, he said that his Office will reinvigorate “a global movement for human rights that proposes solutions to our many pressing challenges, and that revives trust.” “We will foster inclusion and equality, recognizing and respecting all people in all their diversity, and ensuring space for them to participate in the decisions affecting their lives.” “We will step up our prevention and early warning systems to prevent and mitigate human rights violations, conflict and humanitarian disasters before they escalate,” said Mr Turk. “We will advance the concept of human rights-based economies, to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals, and to fight inequalities.” The High Commissioner said that to achieve all of this, “we need a UN Human Rights Office that is fit for the future.” “This means significant changes in our organizational design — shifting existing resources to where they are most needed and adding new capabilities, at the global, regional and country levels.” Mr Turk also called on states to maintain the momentum for change witnessed as the world marked the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) last year. Nearly 80 per cent of the world’s nations made concrete promises to improve respect for human rights as part of the Office’s HumanRights75 initiative to commemorate the UDHR, he noted. “We must resolve to act differently. To put rights at the centre of all policies and decisions and governance, to fully embrace all rights – giving as much weight to economic, social and cultural rights as we do to civil and political rights, to eliminate impunity, and to end once and for all the cycles of injustice and inequality that have defined our societies for too long,” he said. +
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