BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF VOLUNTARY FUND FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TECHNICAL COOPERATION TO MEET IN GENEVA FROM 5 TO 7 JUNE

5 June 2001




The Board of Trustees of the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights will hold its fifteenth session from 5 to 7 June 2001 in Geneva.

At this meeting, the Board will make recommendations on proposed projects aimed at advancing the promotion and protection of all human rights, democracy, and the rule of law
through global, regional and national initiatives within the regions of Africa, Europe and Central Asia, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Board will review reports from evaluations of projects implemented in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Palestine and Mongolia. The Board will also discuss and give recommendations concerning evaluation methodology and the role of national institutions in the Technical Cooperation Programme of the OHCHR. In addition, its members will meet with contributors to the Fund, as well as with Member States of the United Nations.

Technical cooperation projects are developed in close cooperation with the requesting Government and the United Nations agencies and programmes present in the country concerned. Programmes are operational in more than 30 countries, providing assistance for the building of national and regional capacities for protecting and promoting all human rights. There is a particular emphasis on the creation or strengthening of national human rights institutions; education and training of government officials, lawyers, judges, police and prison officials; penal reform; broad-based education, and public information for the respect of human rights.

The Fund was established in 1987 by the Secretary-General to strengthen the United Nations Programme of Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights. Since becoming
operational in 1988, the Fund has received an average of $ 3 million per year in contributions and pledges. This year it has already received $ 2 million in contributions and almost $ 4 million in pledges.

The Board of Trustees was established in 1993 to provide expert advice and support fund-raising for the Fund.

The five members of the Board of Trustees are appointed by the Secretary-General for three years and are chosen for their independence and wide experience in the field of human rights and technical cooperation. In March 2000 the following experts were appointed for the current period: Leila I. Takla (Egypt), Chairperson; Thomas Hammarberg (Sweden); Kinhide Mushakoji (Japan); Luis Pérez Aguirre (Uruguay), and Krzysztof Skubiszewski (Poland). However, in January this year Mr. Pérez Aguirre died in a tragic accident. A new member will be appointed shortly.

The fifteenth session of the Board will be held in the First Floor Conference Room of the Palais Wilson.



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