LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund

Funding opportunities for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to participate in the 55th session, 56th session and the 57th session of the Human Rights Council with the support of the LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund

To the Permanent Missions of LDCs and SIDS in Geneva and New York

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Secretariat of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Work of Human Rights Council) presents its compliments to the Permanent Missions of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in Geneva and New York and has the honour to attach herewith the note verbale and 2 related documents (visa information form and sample note verbale) concerning applications to participate in the delegates programme for the 55th, 56th or 57^th sessions of the Human Rights Council. Deadlines for applications: 1 January (for the  55th session), 1 April (for the 56th session) and 3 June 2024  (for the 57th session).

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Secretariat of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to support the participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Work of Human Rights Council) avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Permanent Missions of the Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in Geneva and New York the assurances of its highest consideration.

Human Rights Council 54^th session (11 September – 13 October 2023)

14 Delegates and Fellows from: Angola, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Madagascar, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Sierra Leone, and Vanuatu.

Biographies of the 14 LDCs/SIDS Delegates supported by the Trust Fund to participate in 54th session

The CALL FOR APPLICATIONS for the LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME 2023 IS NOW OPEN (deadline 16 June 2023).

To the Permanent Missions of LDCs/SIDS in Geneva and New York

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Secretariat of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Work of Human Rights Council) presents its compliments to the Permanent Missions of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in Geneva and New York and has the honour to refer to the following documents relating to the call for applications for its Fellowship programme 2023 (deadline for application: 16 June 2023):

Secretariat note verbale of 16 May 2023;

Sample note verbale endorsing the candidature of a government official;

Application form of the LDCs/SIDs Fellowship programme 2023; and

Visa information form

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Secretariat of the Technical Assistance Trust Fund for Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States) avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Permanent Missions of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Geneva and New York the assurances of its highest consideration.

Funding opportunities for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to participate in the 52nd session, 53rd session and the 54th session of the Human Rights Council with the support of the LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund

To the Permanent Missions of LDCs and SIDS in Geneva and New York

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Secretariat of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Work of Human Rights Council) presents its compliments to the Permanent Missions of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in Geneva and New York and has the honour to attach herewith the note verbale and 2 related documents (visa information form and sample note verbale) concerning applications to participate in the delegates programme for the 52nd, 53rd and 54th sessions of the Human Rights Council. Deadlines for applications: 2 January (for the  52nd session), 15 March (for the 53rd session) and 25 May 2023 (for the 54th session).

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Secretariat of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to support the participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Work of Human Rights Council) avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Permanent Missions of the Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in Geneva and New York the assurances of its highest consideration.

Human Rights Council 53^rd session (19 June – 14 July 2023)

13 Delegates from: Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Suriname, Togo, United Republic of Tanzania.

Biographies of the 13 LDCs/SIDS Delegates supported by the Trust Fund to participate in 53^rd session

Human Rights Council 52^nd session (27 February – 4 April 2023)

14 Delegates from: Belize, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nepal, Sudan, Timor Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, United Republic of Tanzania.

Biographies of the 14 LDCs/SIDS Delegates supported by the Trust Fund to participate in 52^nd session

Human Rights Council 51^st session (12 September - 7 October 2022)

15 Delegates from: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Chad, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Suriname and the United Republic of Tanzania

Biographies of the 15 LDCs/SIDS Delegates supported by the Trust Fund to participate in 51^st session

Human Rights Council 50^th session (13 June - 8 July 2022)

Biographies of the 10 LDCs/SIDS Delegates supported by the Trust Fund to participate in 50^th session

Podcast of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva (in French only):
GRAND ANGLE : Dans les coulisses du Conseil des droits de l’homme

Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the annual high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming: contribution of universal participation to the mainstreaming of human rights throughout the United Nations system, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Work of the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/50/67)

Human Rights Council 49th session (28 February -1  April 2022)

Human Rights Council resolution 49/32 on strengthening the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Work of the Human Rights Council – adopted without a vote on 1 April 2022

Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Operations of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Work of the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/49/92)

2021 Year in Review and 2022 Outlook LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund

Participation of LDCs/SIDS delegates at HRC48: watch the video

A record 160 UN Members States have supported the decision L.23; A/HRC/DEC/46/115 by the Human Rights Council. Decision L.23; A/HRC/DEC/46/115 is the most sponsored Human Rights Council resolution/decision since its establishment in 2006. The decision has been adopted without a vote during the 46th session of the Human Rights Council to hold a High Level Panel discussion on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of LDCs/SIDS in its work.

• Video Universal participation in the Human Rights Council in the Human Rights Council, Podcast UNOG
• Video The most sponsored resolution in the history of the Human Rights Council refers to Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.
• Twitter link
• Webcast