BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF VOLUNTARY FUND FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TECHNICAL COOPERATION TO MEET IN GENEVA FROM 14 TO 17 JUNE

HR/99/51
11 June 1999




The Board of Trustees of the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights will hold its eleventh session from 14 to 17 June 1999 in Geneva.

At this meeting, the Board will make recommendations on proposed projects aimed at advancing democracy, development and the rule of law in Cameroon, Mali, Niger and Somalia, as well as regional initiatives for Africa and the Asia-Pacific.

The Board will also review the implementation of ongoing projects in Croatia, Indonesia and Madagascar; a regional project for Latin America, and a global project. 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 40 countries, providing assistance for the building of national and regional capacities for protecting and promoting 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, defence forces, 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 more than $5 million.

The Board of Trustees was established in 1993 to assist in fund-raising and to provide expert advice and support for the Fund. At its November 1998 session, the Board reviewed and endorsed fourteen new project proposals and four ongoing projects.

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. They are: Leila I. Takla (Egypt), Chairperson; Anne-Marie Lizin (Belgium),
Vice-Chairperson; Kinhide Mushakoji (Japan); Luis Pérez Aguirre (Uruguay), and Krizysztof Skubiszewski (Poland).

The eleventh session of the Board will be held in room VIII of the Palais des Nations.