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Reports and Publications / 2019 / May

United Nations Treaty Bodies: 400 NGOs launch an urgent appeal

Signatories from around the globe express their deep concern at potential funding cuts that might affect the monitoring of how governments comply with human rights standards, including decisions on individual situations that are currently pending.


To:

All Permanent Missions to the United Nations in Geneva and New York

Cc:

UN Secretary General UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Chairpersons of the Human Rights Treaty Bodies Coordination Committee of UN Special Procedures

28 May 2019

Open NGO letter regarding the critical funding gap affecting UN human rights mechanisms and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights It is with a sense of urgency that we convey our deep concern regarding the critical funding situation affecting the UN’s human rights mechanisms and OHCHR. We understand that the combination of delays in payments of UN member states’ assessed contributions to the regular budget and the 25% cut to travel of UN representatives, including treaty body experts and Special Procedure mandate holders, and other budget cuts (2018-2019) may adversely impact on the capacity of various human rights mechanisms to carry out their mandates effectively.

In April, the Chairpersons of the 10 human rights treaty bodies were informed that due to the financial situation, the autumn 2019 sessions of six treaty bodies may need to be cancelled. 1 Not only is the cancellation of treaty body sessions deeply worrying as it may involve cancellation of reviews already scheduled and delay decisions on individual communications pending before the Committees but it also sends a troubling message ahead of the 2020 treaty body strengthening discussions. This unprecedented development would come as we celebrate the 30 th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 40 th anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

We understand that other independent expert mechanisms such as the Special Procedures, and other mechanisms created by the Human Rights Council such as Fact-Finding Missions and Commissions of Inquiry, may also be hampered in carrying out their mandates to monitor and investigate human rights violations.

As of 10 May, only 44 UN member states had paid all their assessments due to the UN. We would like to commend Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, China, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malaysia, Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Rwanda, Samoa, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Sweden, Switzerland and Tuvalu for having done so. 2 98 member states had paid their regular budget assessments by 20 May 2019.

The failure to pay assessed contributions is only the latest in a worrying trend of shortfalls and cuts affecting the UN budget allocated to its human rights mechanisms. In the 2018-2019 budget the General Assembly made adjustments to reduce the resources for experts by 15 per cent, reduce the travel of representatives by 25 per cent, and reduce resources for travel of staff by 10 per cent 3 , all without taking into account the disproportionate effect these decisions would have on the UN’s human rights mechanism. Only 3.7 per cent of the total UN regular budget is currently allocated to OHCHR 4 . We are extremely concerned by reports that the funding gap may affect the functioning of OHCHR and the human rights mechanisms in 2020 and beyond.


Against the worrying background of a global pushback against the promotion and protection of human rights, we urge all UN member states to:

• Pay their assessed contributions without further delay, unless they have already done so, in order to assure the functioning of the UN’s human rights mechanisms.

• Prioritise securing adequate funding for the UN’s human rights pillar, with the promotion and protection of human rights being also indispensable to development, peace and security.

• Initiate, in due time ahead of the 2020-2021 budget negotiations, discussions on how to reverse the trend of reduced regular budget for OHCHR and assuring that the UN’s human rights mechanisms are not disproportionately affected by over-all cuts to the UN budget, including by restoring the budget allocation for travel of representatives for these mechanisms.


Signatories:

A 11 - Initiative for Economic and Social Rights 
Abogados y abogadas del Noroeste argentino en derechos humanos y estudios sociales (Andhes) 
ACADHOSHA (Action des Chrétiens Activistes des Droits de l'Homme à Shabunda) 
ACAT 
ACAT Belgium 
ACAT Canada 
ACAT Congo 
ACAT Ghana 
ACAT Italia 
ACAT Luxembourg
ACAT Tchad 
ACAT- Benin 
ACAT- NIGER 
ACAT-Brasil 
ACAT-Burundi 
ACAT-Cameroun 
ACAT-France 
ACAT-Switzerland 
ACAT-USA 
Action femme de valeur Action Jeunesse pour le Développement
Action on Child, 
Early and Forced Marriage 
ActionAid International 
Activist 
Adalah - The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel 
Addu women’s Association (AWA) 
Adska ong 
Advocacy for women in peace and securityAfrica 
Afghan Women Network 
Afghan Women News Agency Organization 
Afghan women Skills Development Center 
Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l'Homme (AEDH) 
Aid Organization Al-Zahraa: Organization for the Advancement of Women 
Alhaq All Okinawa Council for Human Rights Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development 
Alliance Globale contre les Mutilations Génitales Féminines
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) 
Amnesty International 
ALQST for Human Rights 
Arab Women Network for Parity and Solidarity 
Articulación Feminista Marcosur 
ASEAN SOGIE Caucus 
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) 
Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) 
Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body (AMCB-IMA) 
Asociace romskych predstavitelu Libereckeho kraje z.s.
Asociación Ciudadana ACCEDER 
Asociación de Mujeres Afrodescendientes de Yolombo ASOMUAFROYO. 
Asociación de Mujeres Afrodescendientes del Norte del Cauca- ASOM 
Asociacion Tesai Reka Paraguay 
assiwar--the feminist arab movement 
Associace Romskych Rodicu z.s.
Association "MARTA Centre"
Association for Civil Rights in Israel
Association for Cultural and Media Activism QUEER SQUARE Skopje
Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality
Association for thé Prevention of Torture
Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID)
Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons
Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
Association of War Affected Women
Association of Women for Action and Research
ASTRA-Anti trafficking action
ATFD
ATTA LKER
AUDF
Avocats Sans Frontières France
Awen Amenca z.s.
Bahamas Crisis Centre
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
Baidarie
Bairo Pite Clinic Lanud, Timor-Leste
Balance Promoción para el Desarrollo y Juventud AC
Better World Campaign
Beyond Beijing Committee
Blind Women Association, Nepal (BWAN)
Botswana Watch Organization
Breakthrough Trust
Bridgebuilders Trust
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Cambodian Center for Human Rights ("CCHR")
Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children
Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
CBM
Center for Justice and International Law
Center for Legal Civic Initiatives
Center for Media, Data and Society, Central European University
Center for Reproductive Rights
Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL)
Centre Catholique International de Genève
Centre for Civil and Political Rights
Centre for Indigenous Cultures of Peru
Centre for Migration, Refugees and Belonging, The University of East London
Centre for Social Concern and Development (CESOCODE)
Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres (CEDEHM)
Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas AC
Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez
Centro de derechos humanos pasó del Norte
Centro de estudios de la mujer
Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS)
Child Rights International Network
CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality
Church of Norway Council on Ecumenical and International Relations
CIDEM
CISCSA
CIVICUS: World Alliance for citizen participation
Civil Rights Defenders
CKLP
CNRS
Coalition Burkinabe des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (CBDDH)
COALITION CEDEF ET LES ANGES DU CIEL
Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies
Coast Education Centre (COEC)
COC Nederland
Colectiva Ciudad y Género ac
Collectif des Assoications Contre l'Impunité au Togo CACIT
COLLECTIF DES AVOCATS POUR LA DEFENSE DES VICTIMES DES CRIMES DE DROIT
INTERNATIONAL COMMIS AUX BURUNDI 
CoMensha 
Comisión de Derechos Humanos - COMISEDH 
Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos 
Comité de América Latina y el Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos de las Mujeres 
Comité Víctimas Lesa Humanidad y Graves Violaciones DDHH Ecuador
Committees for the defense of democracy freedoms and Human Rights in Syria(C.D.F) 
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) 
Community Work Ireland Conectas Direitos Humanos 
CONGCOOP 
Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd 
Congrès Mondial Amazigh 
Consorcio para el Diálogo Parlamentario y la Equidad Oaxaca A.C. 
Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas 
Contra Nocendi International Cook Islands National Council of Women 
cooperation committee for Cambodia (CCC)
Coordinadora de la Mujer 
Coordinadora Lesbica y de Hombres TransRepublika Libre 
Corte suprema de justicia
Cotidiano Mujer, Uruguay 
CROISADE-NIGER 
Czech Women's Lobby / Česká ženská lobby 
Dalit NGO Federation (DNF), Nepal 
Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies 
Darfur Network for monitoring and Documentation 
Defence for Children International
DefendDefenders (the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) 
Dejusticia
Democracy Today 
Democratic Party, Hong Kong 
Director, Comparative 
Governance and Policy Research Cente, 
Department of Government & International Studies,
Hong Kong Baptist University 
DIVA for Equality 
Dóchas 
Dominicans for Justice and Peace 
Dublin Rape Crisis Centre 
Dutch CEDAW Network 
Earthjustice 
Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives 
ECPAT France 
Edmund Rice International 
Education Coalition 
Equality Now 
European Center for Notfor-Profit Law
European Network of People of African Descent - ENPAD 
European Roma Rights Centre 
Fédération EuroMéditerranéenne contre les Disparitions Forcées FEMED 
Feminist Legal Clinic Inc. 
Femmes et Droits Humains 
FIACAT 
First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada 
FOKUS 
Fondazione Pangea onlus 
Foundation Ultimate Purpose 
FRANCISCANS INTERNATIONAL 
Freelance 
Fundación Arcoiris 
Fundación de Mujeres Luna Creciente 
Fuuse 
Gender Alliance for Development Centre 
Gender and Sociology
Gender Equality Network 
Geneva for Human Rights (GHR) 
Geten, Center for LGBTIQA People's Rights 
GIN-SSOGIE
Global Detention Project 
Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Culural Rights 
Global Network of Sex Work Projects
GQUAL Campaign
Greek Helsinki Monitor
Groupe d'action pour les droits de la femme
Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
Gypsy Cooperative Uk
Gypsy Council
Hazte Visible A.C.
HCLU
Health and Human Rights Info
HELP Resources
HK Human Rights Monitor
Honduras Forum Switzerland
Hong Kong Unison
Human Rights Alert
Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan
Human Rights Comitteee, Norwegian Psychological Association
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
Human Rights Defenders Network-SL
Human Rights House Foundation
Human Rights in China
Human Rights Law Centre
Human Rights Watch
Humanists International
IBAHRI
IDHEAS, Litigio Estratégico en Derechos Humanos-México
ILGA World
ILGA-Europe
Ilsb
IM Swedish Development Partner
Independent
Independent MedicoLegal Unit
Indigenous Movement for Peace Advancement and Conflict Transformation(IMPACT)
Iniciativa Mesoamericana de Defensoras de Derechos Humanos (IMDefensoras)
İnsan Hakları Derneği / Human Rights Association - Turkey
Instituto de liderazgo Simone de Beauvoir AC
International Action Network for Gender Equity & Law
International Association for Human Rights Advocacy in Geneva
International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
International Commission of Jurists
International Council of Women
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers
International Indigenous Women's Forum
International Justice Resource Center
International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR)
International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)
International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific
Intersex Human Rights Australia
investigacion para el desarrollo
Irish Council for Civil Liberties
Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights
Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society
JANANEETHI
Justice for Iran (JFI)
Karapatan Philippines
Kenya Human Rights Commission
Klagsverband/Litigation Association of NGOs against discrimination
LA VOIX DES SANS VOIX POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME (VSV)
Las Reinas Chulas Cabaret Y Derechos Humanos AC
Latvian Human Rights Committee (FIDH)
League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI)
Legal Resources Centre
Ligue Algerienne de Defense des Droits de l'Homme
LIGUE DES DEFENSEURS REGIONAUX
Lutheran World Federation
MADRE
Maharat Foundation
MARUAH
Masimanyane Women's Right's International
MASUM
MEDITERRANEAN WOMEN MEDIATORS NETWORK
Member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
MENA Rights Group
MenEngage Global Alliance
Minority Rights Group Greece
Minotenk minoritetspolitisk tenketank
Mongolia
Moroccan association for human rights
Movilización de Mujeres Negras por el Cuidado de Vida y los Territorios Ancestrales. Premio Goldman 2018
Mujeres Transformando el Mundo
Musawah
Muslim Women’s Network UK
National Council of Women New Zealand
NATIONAL UNION OF DOMESTIC EMPLOYEES
National Women's Council of Ireland
Nauru Island Association of NGOs
NGO Committe for CSW Latin America and the Caribbean
NGO Women for Development
NGO-Coordination post Beijing Switzerland
Noon Center for Women and Family Issues
North Wales Regional Equality Network
Norwegian Centre against Racism
Norwegian Helsinki Committee
Norwegian Humanist Association
Odhikar, Bangladesh
ODRI intersectional rights
Okogun Odigie Safewomb International Foundation (OOSAIF)
Omega Research Foundation
OMOD
Organisation Marocaine des Droits Humains
Oslo Metropolitan University (Oslomet)
Østsamene
OutRight Action International
Oxfam
Pacific Partnerships on Gender, Climate Change and Sustainable Development (PPGCCSD) -Regional
PACIFICWIN
PAIMAN
Palestinian Center for development And Media Freedoms-MADA
Partido Revolucionario Febrerista
PARTNERSHIP FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH AND WELLBEING
PathFinders Limited
Peace Brigades International
Peace Foundation Pakistan
People's Watch - INDIA
Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates ( PAHRA)
Piattaforma CEDAW Italia Lavori in corsa
Plan International
Plataforma Internacional contra la Impunidad
Positive Women (Ukraine)
Pro Sentret
Proceso de Comunidades Negras
Project on Organizing, Development, Education and Research (PODER)
Promo LEX Association, Moldova
PUBLIC COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE IN ISRAEL
Radha Paudel Foundation
RCMD
Reacción Climática
Reactor - Research in Action
REAMA Network network for the empowerment of women and self help support
REd de Educación Popular entre Mujesre REPEM -LAC
Red Nacional de Mujeres - Colombia
Red Nacional de Organismos Civiles de Derechos Humanos Todos los Derechos para Todas y Todos (conformada por 87 organizaciones de 23 entidades federativas de México)
REDRESS Trust
Rescue Me-crime prevention
Réseau International des Droits Humains (RIDH)
RESPECT Network
RFSL - The Swedish Federation for LGBTQ Rights
Rights for All Women Rivers without Boundaries International Coalition Roma Future z.s. ROMEA Saami Council Sayoni, Singapore Secretary Shah-Aiym Network Shirkat Gah Women's Resource Centre Sistren Theatre Collective SOLIDARITE FEMININE POUR LA PAIX ET LE DEVELOPPEMENT INTEGRAL, Ong Solidarity Netowork with Migrants Japan SOS Children's Villages International Spatium Libertas AC Spiralis z.s.
STIR: Stop Institutional Racism Success Capital Organisation Swedish Muslims in Cooperation Network Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) Syrian Network for Human Rights Tafawuq Consulting Center for Development Tais Plus Taternes Landsforening TEDS Trust Teresian Association Terra Mater The Advocates for Human Rights
The Canada OPCAT Project 
The Egyptian initiative for personal rights (EIPR) 
The MiRA Resource Center for black, migrant and refugee women 
The MiRA Resource Center for black, migrant and refugee women in Norway 
The Negev Coexistence Forum 
The Norwegian Bar Association Human Rights Comittee 
The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions 
THE NORWEGIAN HUMAN RIGHTS FUND 
The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara The Regional Diversity Roundtable 
The YP Foundation 
Think Young Women 
Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy 
TRIAL International 
Trócaire 
Tunisian Human Rights League UN Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA)
 UNFPA 
Unidad de Protección a Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanas 
Guatemala 
United Nations Association of Norway 
University University of Kent
University Of The West Indies 
UPR Info 
US Human Rights Network 
Uthema Maldives 
Validity Foundation Mental Disability Advocacy Centre 
Vision Spring Initiatives 
Vzájemně soužití (Life Together) 
Wenshe Centre for Human Rights Education 
Wi’am 
Woman Inc (Woman Incorporated) 
Women Against Rape Inc.
WOMEN AGAINST VIOLENCE 
Women and Media Collective 
Women Peace Network (32701) 
Women's Active Museum on War and Peace(WAM) 
Women's Human Rights Education Institute 
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) 
Women's Rights Center Women’s International Solutions for Equality (A WISE Network) 
Women ́s Link Worldwide 
World Organisation Against Torture 
XUMEK 
Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina 
YWCA Canada
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Date: May 31, 2019
Type: Reports and Publications

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