Funding proposal for the
UNDG Human Rights Mainstreaming Mechanism (UNDG-HRM)
2014
The importance of respecting, protecting and promoting human rights in all of the UN’s work is
enshrined in the UN Charter and confirmed time again in the Organization’s development work. The
Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) is the latest affirmation that development, peace and
security and human rights are interlinked and mutually reinforcing.
The progress of UN reforms in the areas of human rights and development have opened new windows
of opportunity to engage and support Member States in fulfilling their human rights commitments and
national development goals. To help meet growing demands from RCs and UNCTs in supporting
Member States, the UNDG Human Rights Mainstreaming Mechanism (UNDG-HRM) was established at
the request of the Secretary-General and has been fully operational since 2012. It responds to the call
from the Secretary-General in 2008 to further strengthen system-wide coherence, collaboration and
support for Resident Coordinators (RCs) and UN country teams (UNCTs) in mainstreaming human rights.
In October 2011 the High Commissioner and the UNDG Chair jointly launched the Human Rights
Mainstreaming Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) to support the activities of the UNDG-HRM outlined in
the 2011-2013 Operational Plan. Thus far, the Trust Fund has received USD 5.6 million in donor
contributions, most of which was allocated to direct country and regional support, in line with the
UNDG’s strategic focus on country and regional support to enhance impact. At the end of 2013, the
UNDG-HRM has been able to fully allocate funds available and is planning for the second round of
funding decisions to leverage the momentum created in the first two years of operation to consolidate
gains in mainstreaming human rights.
To support the UNDG-HRM’s strategic objectives, the Steering Committee has extended the MDTF until
2016, in line with the UNDG Strategic priorities. The UNDG-HRM’s work plan for 2014 aims to scale up
country support as a key component of its strategic vision to institutionalize mainstreaming of human
rights and to ensure policy coherence. The budget of USD 8.2 million aims to ensure that the UNDGHRM is strategically positioned to support the UNDG ensure and implement a human rights based
development agenda (post 2015) and to strengthen linkages between the UN’s normative and
operational arms. The UNDG HRM will continue to play an important role as the primary policy forum
to ensure policy coherence in human rights mainstreaming and the lead mechanism to take forward the
UNDG’s efforts to strengthen normative and operational linkages in the UN’s development operations.
It will also enable the UNDG-HRM to be a key mechanism through which the UNDG can effectively
deliver on the responsibilities and demands made on the UN development system by the Rights Up
Front Agenda.
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The budget covers the core activities required to ensure the UNDG-HRM is the center of excellence on
human rights policy within the development context, supporting the UNDG in making system wide
human rights expertise available to national development actors, systems and processes, anchored in
strong UN human rights leadership with relevant capacity and support structures. It covers key
activities required to enable RCs and UNCTs respond to the growing demand from national partners for
support on human rights as part of development operations and builds on the momentum achieved
through funding allocated in 2013.
Strategic context
The UNDG-HRM as an inter-agency body of the UNDG plays a pivotal role in strengthening coherence,
corporate commitment and political leadership on human rights mainstreaming. As demonstrated in
2012 and 2013, through its ability to bring
“Human rights are not only central to the UN’s value system, but
the UN together to collectively advocate on
are increasingly being seen as instrumental to development
human rights with Member States and
effectiveness. (…) The UN’s support to the national
partners, the UNDG-HRM gained credibility
development agenda and national priorities needs to be
and trust among Member States and agency
consistent with the UN’s fundamental human rights mission and
partners. It demonstrated its unique and
goals, and the obligations of governments under the various
instrumental role as a policy forum to
treaties they have ratified.”
ensure coherence across the UN
Quote from the Policy Committee of UN Secretary-General, 2008
development system on human rights.
Through its December 2012 Resolution on the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR), the
General Assembly specifically requests the UN System to:
“… promote sustainable development outcomes through strengthening normative and
operational linkages within the United Nations system and, in this regard, to direct particular
efforts to supporting programme countries, at their request, in building national capacity for
inclusive, equitable, participatory, transparent and accountable national development
processes, in order to target and empower the poor and people in vulnerable situations.”1
Therefore, the UN is requested to place stronger emphasis on, inter alia, human rights and a human
rights based approach in its operational activities for development. The UNDG Strategic priorities for
2013-2016 reflect this stronger emphasis on human rights. In three of the four priorities, focus on
human rights is considered a fundamental aspect, including in the preparations of the post-2015
agenda, recovery of countries in crisis or post-crisis transition and in national capacity and development
effectiveness efforts. The United Nations Secretary-General’s Rights up Front initiative was launched in
2013 renewing the commitment of the United Nations to the responsibilities assigned to it under the
Charter where people are at risk of or subject to serious violations of international human rights (IHRL)
1
A/Res/67/226, para.58
2
UNDG-HRM strategic components:




Policy and operational coherence:
Promoting a coordinated and coherent
UN system-wide approach towards the
integration of human rights principles
and international standards into UN
operational activities for development.
Leadership: Providing coherent and
coordinated support to Resident
Coordinators and UN country teams in
mainstreaming human rights.
Support to national capacity building:
Developing a coherent UN systemwide approach, to providing support
towards strengthening national human
rights protection systems at the
request of governments.
Advocacy and knowledge:
Contributing to the integration of
human rights issues in the overall
UNDG advocacy on development
agenda and global issues.
or humanitarian law (IHL). Its Plan of Action seeks to ensure
that the United Nations leverages the full breath of its mandate
to help protect people at risk of IHRL and IHL, going to the heart
of the responsibilities of all UN staff, including as development
actors. Under the Rights up Front Action Plan, RCs and UNCTs
are asked, while continuing to provide support for the
coordination of United Nations development and humanitarian
activities to also give careful attention to serious human rights
concerns and outlines a number of concrete actions to move
this agenda forward. These ambitious mandates present a
unique opportunity to bolster and concretize efforts to
mainstream human rights across the development system.
They require sustained leveraging in tandem with coherent
engagement in the context of the policy discussions on global
development goals beyond 2015 in order to strengthen the
momentum and achieve lasting impact.
Similarly, the implementation of the Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) for “Delivering as One” (DaO) countries
through the UNDG integrated guidance provides a significant
window of opportunity for ensuring a coherent and systematic
approach to human rights mainstreaming at country level. The
2011 Independent Evaluation of the piloting phase concluded
that the success in mainstreaming normative cross-cutting issues such as gender equality, human rights
and environmental sustainability in a “Delivering as One” context is among the strategic results of the
reform initiative. Emphasis on the shared values, norms and standards of the UN system” has
subsequently become a guiding principle for Standard Operating Procedures for the next generation of
Delivering as One.
Similarly, at the country level, the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council has generated
greater demands on the UN development system from Member States for capacity development
support on human rights. As a result, UN country teams are increasingly being asked to provide
upstream policy advice for building national capacities to promote and apply human rights norms and
principles in the national development context and to support governments in implementing the
recommendations of human rights mechanisms. Moreover, the lessons from the Arab Spring have
challenged the UN to engage more critically with governments through “principled, norm-based,
constructive engagement”. The UNDG-HRM is ideally suited to play a strategic role in ensuring that the
UN’s normative mandate, moral authority, convening role and political leadership bring diverse actors
together, address complex and sensitive issues and ensure that UN activities are guided by human rights
standards and principles.
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Objectives, priorities and funding criteria
As elaborated in the founding documents, the UNDG-HRM’s overarching objective is to further
institutionalize human rights mainstreaming efforts in the UN development system and to strengthen
system-wide coherence and collaboration and provide catalytic support for Resident Coordinators,
Regional UNDG Teams and UN
country teams and their national
partners in mainstreaming human
rights.
One of the key priorities of the
UNDG-HRM in its first two years of
operation has been the
establishment of an architecture
that would ensure efficient,
transparent and effective decisionmaking in the management,
monitoring and evaluation of
funds received through the MultiDonor Trust Fund. To that effect,
the UNDG-HRM established a solid
framework and procedures for the
process of engaging with country,
regional and global stakeholders
and facilitates transparent and
efficient decisions making,
including with regard to the
strategic positioning of the UNDG-HRM. The first round of funding has allowed the UNDG-HRM to
consolidate its architecture. As implementation progresses, the monitoring and reporting framework
will be refined.
The approach targets global, regional and direct country support, each with a view to enhance policy
coherence and sustainability. Global support aims to strengthen policy coherence and advocacy on
human rights, while regional support is geared towards strengthening the human rights capacity of
Regional UNDG Teams to enable them to move forward the regional human rights agendas and
strengthen their support to RCs and UNCTs on human rights. Direct country support is designed to
provide seed-funding and start-up support with a view to phasing out direct financial support as the
systematization of human rights in development takes root. In order to provide and sustain this
approach all UNDG structures and mechanisms are engaged.
4
Funds from the HRM Trust Fund are allocated on the basis of criteria established to ensure strategic and
sustainable investments where results matter the most, including:
 The extent to which proposals foster collaboration and policy coherence;
 Strategic links to relevant workplans at global, regional and country level;
 Strengthening engagement of UNCTs and UN agencies with human rights mechanisms, including
Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures and the UPR;
 Supporting the application of an HRBA to UN common programming processes, including the
UNDAF;
 Promoting joint UN programming and advocacy for human rights
Country allocation criteria include:
 National context or operational environment, including capacities and engagement by the
government, civil society and national human rights institutions.
 Commitment from the RC and UNCT to advance human rights mainstreaming and capacity building,
including as evidenced by UNDAF or joint programmes;
 Relevance for joint programming and implementation on human rights by a number of UN entities
 Added value of the UN system vis-à-vis national and international actors in addressing human rights
gaps
 Potential for scaling up of local and national experiences at the regional and international levels;
 Commitment and plan for monitoring and evaluation of the project.
Progress and activities in 2013
The UNDG-HRM has achieved significant results in 2012 and 2013, both in terms of demonstrating its
valuable role in ensuring coherent and strategic advocacy and policy messages across the UNDG on
human rights and development and in moving the policy agenda related to direct support to RCs and
UNCTs forward. Accordingly, collective efforts and joint advocacy in the context of negotiations for
Rio+20 and QCPR have contributed to increased recognition by Member States of the centrality of
human rights in the global development agenda. Similar steps are being taken in the context of Post2015 to ensure that the UNDG-HRM can again provide coherent guidance and advocacy on
strengthening the normative role of the UN system.
On the operational side, in February 2012, the UNDG endorsed the new UNDG Strategy for the
Deployment of Human Rights Advisers (HRAs). The development of this strategy, co-led by the Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNDP is a crucial step forward to ensure coherence and
system-wide ownership of HRAs deployed by OHCHR at the request of Resident Coordinators and UN
country teams. A standard terms of reference was developed for the human rights advisers that clarifies
the role, status and reporting arrangements which will be used for current and future deployments.
5
At country level, the first tranche of funding to the UNDG Human Rights Mainstreaming Mechanism’s
Multi-Donor Trust Fund has allowed the UNDG-HRM to initiate implementation of the UNDG Human
Rights Adviser strategy. Accordingly, the first 10 countries that will receive the support of a human
rights adviser have been selected (Bangladesh, Maldives, Timor Leste, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone,
Tanzania, Zambia, Dominican Republic and Jamaica). Two advisers have been deployed and
deployment of the remaining HRAs is envisaged for the end of 2013/early 2014. The UNDG-HRM is also
funding catalytic support to country programmes (USD 100,000 each) in Costa Rica, Guinea Bissau,
Indonesia, Morocco, Myanmar, Turkey, Uruguay and Zambia. Projects range for initiatives to
mainstream human rights into national development plans and processes, to supporting countries
follow up to recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review, to strengthening national human rights
protection systems.
At regional level, two Regional UNDG
Teams, namely Latin America and the
Caribbean and Asia Pacific have been
slated for funding from the UNDG-HRM
MDTF to support them in their role of
providing strategic guidance to UNCTs
on human rights mainstreaming
through training, knowledge
management and most importantly
access to technical expertise through
the deployment of a Regional Human
Rights Advisor to both teams. This
will not only enable the UNDG-HRM to
broaden regional coverage and adapt
strategic support to regional
circumstances, but also to pilot the
impact of such support at
country level in the context of regional
opportunities and challenges.
Human Rights Mainstreaming TF - Projects by Country
(Covering from Jan 2013 to Dec 2013)
Net
Funded
Amount
(US$)
UN HQ entities
3,273,511
OHCHR
Deployment of HR advisors
2,371,075
UNICEF
HRM M&E Framework
Development
53,500
UNDG
Strengthen HRM in Asia-Pacific
307,980
UNDG
Strengthening HRM in LAC
271,192
UNDP
Strengthening KM
69,765
Strengthening UNCT leadership
200,000
OHCHR/UNSSC
UNCT Costa Rica
100,000
UNCT Guinea-Bissau
100,000
UNCT Morocco
100,000
UNCT Myanmar
100,000
UNCT Turkey
100,000
UNCT Uruguay
100,000
UNCT Zambia
100,000
UNCT Indonesia (UNESCO)
99,510
TOTALS
4,073,021
At global level, the UNDG-HRM is
implementing a series of projects and initiatives to enhance system-wide policy coherence and
advocacy. Most importantly, the UNDG-HRM has initiated its project to strengthen guidance and
leadership support to RC and UNCT agency leadership in the area of human rights. It has also initiated
the design of a standardized M&E framework measuring performance on human rights mainstreaming
among UNCTs. In support of the human rights mainstreaming knowledge management component of
the work plan, DOCO, with the support of an inter-agency peer review group of the UNDG-HRM has
produced a publication with in-depth case studies of mainstreaming human rights in development. The
publication “Mainstreaming Human Rights in Development – Stories from the field” was launched in
6
September 2013 and featured in a side event during the GA68. Finally to support UNCTs better engage
with human rights mechanisms, the UNDG-HRM has revised and updated the Web-Based Guide on
“Engaging with Human Rights Mechanisms”. It has also strengthened the UN HRBA Practitioner’s Portal
(hrbaportal.org) with additional case studies and agency specific material and approaches on HRBA.
Focus and activities planned for 2014
The core vision and objectives will continue to inform all activities of the UNDG-HRM, in accordance
with the workplan and priorities of the current cycle. At the same time, lessons from the
implementation of the first funding cycle, including the new HRA policy, in tandem with developments
at the global policy level, particularly in the context of the post-2015 discussions will inform the design
of new activities.
The corresponding 2014 budget of USD 8.2 million aims to ensure that activities are pursued in line with
the political commitment of the recent global policy documents and commitments, including the QCPR,
the UNDG Strategic priorities and “Rights up Front.” This budget covers the key activities required to
enable RCs and UNCTs respond to the growing demand from national partners for support on human
rights as part of development operations and builds on the momentum achieved through funding
allocated in 2013.
Thus, at country level the UNDG-HRM continues to prioritize direct support to RCs and UNCTs in taking
forward mainstreaming efforts. This will be achieved through providing continued support to existing
HRAs, deploying an additional 10 Human Rights Advisers, strengthening training and learning
opportunities for RCs and UNCT leadership, strengthening access to experiences and lessons learned,
and providing catalytic support to national led UNCT programmes and initiatives. For 2014, the UNDGHRM also foresees to allocate resources to the rapid deployment of human rights capacity to RC offices
in line with current policy discussions under “Rights up Front.”
At the regional level, the UNDG Strategic Priorities emphasize the critical role of Regional UNDG Teams
in supporting UNCTs and in translating global knowledge to the country context. Thus, in line with the
prioritization at country and global levels, the HRM will support UNDG Regional Teams in providing
strategic guidance to UNCTs on human rights mainstreaming, through training, knowledge management
and learning, access to technical expertise through the deployment of human rights advisers at the
regional level and rosters.
At the global level, the focus on strengthening policy coherence and guidance on mainstreaming human
rights commands continued engagement of the HRM in key policy discussions in the context of the post2015 deliberations, building on the successful engagement on Rio +20 and the QCPR. In addition, the
increasing demand by Member States for support in engaging with human rights mechanisms, including
the Universal Periodic Review and integrating human rights into national development processes has
highlighted the need for increased coherence and guidance at global level to facilitate engagement and
7
support. Supporting learning and training on human rights based approaches to development is also a
key priority, with support envisaged for learning initiatives on human rights based approaches at the
regional level and the development of a global online tool.
Finally, a crucial component of global support, in line with the UNDG Strategic priorities is the
strengthening of knowledge management on human rights mainstreaming across the UN system to
better respond to the demands at country level for practical examples and evidence based learning
material. As country teams move towards a more advanced stage of implementation and global
projects advance, ranging from developing indicators, to facilitating access to the human rights
mechanisms, the strengthening of knowledge management will be a key factor in ensuring
sustainability. The UNDG-HRM thus envisages increasing support to Huritalk and the HRBA Portal within
an overarching knowledge management strategy for the UNDG-HRM.
****
UNDG Human Rights Mainstreaming Trust Fund
(http://mptf.undp.org/factsheet/fund/HRM00)
Steering Committee
The UNDG-HRM is chaired by the Deputy High
Commissioner for Human Rights/OHCHR and with
annually
rotating
Vice-Chair
from
participating
agencies. The overall membership is at senior,
decision-making level, and the members constitute the
Steering Committee and provide overall leadership, set
the strategic direction and approve allocations. The
Administrative Agent is an ex-officio member of the
Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will task
Contributor/Partner
(14 Nov 2013)
Committed
Deposit
rate
Denmark
Finland
Irish Aid
Norway
Germany
Swedish Int. Development
Cooperation
802,311
331,255
195,545
1,427,679
1,358,696
4,556,500
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
0%
100.0%
Totals
8,671,985
84.3%
the Resource Management Committee, supported by
respective members of the expert-level UNDG-HRM
Contact persons
Focal Points Group, to meet regularly to prepare
resource allocation recommendations for the approval
by the Steering Committee.
Resource Management Committee (RMC)
The Resource Management Committee (RMC) is a subcommittee of the UNDG-HRM Steering Committee,
established to make recommendations on all areas
related to the allocation of funds from the UNDG-HRM
Fund. The RMC is comprised of senior representatives
from up to six Participating Organizations which have
signed the MOU, one of whom serves as the
Chairperson.
Mr. Rio Hada
OHCHR Geneva
Tel: +41 22 928 9408
Email: rhada@ohchr.org
Ms. Karin Lucke
UN Development Operations Coordination Office
Tel: +1 212-906-6906
Email: karin.lucke@undg.org
Ms. Emilie Filmer-Wilson
UN Development Operations Coordination Office
Tel: +1 212 906 6204
Email: emilie.filmer-wilson@undg.org
8
Budget breakdown 2014
Component 1:Promoting a coordinated & coherent UN system wide approach to human rights integration
Priority 1.1 Strengthening coherence in
policies and practices across UNDG, based
on human rights standards and principles
Output 1.1.1: Develop indicators and benchmarks to measure
UNCTs activities and performance to enhance human rights
mainstreaming (UNICEF)
Priority 1.2 Enhancing HRBA support to
UN country teams, with particular focus
on UNDAF roll-outs and Delivering as One
pilots
Output 1.2.1: Support to UNCTs in UNDAF roll-out countries
and DaO-countries on the application of HRBA
Priority 1.3 Strengthening capacity and
collaboration at regional level
Output 1.3.1: Support to Regional UNDG Teams for regional
capacity building initiatives (OHCHR & DOCO)
Priority 1.4 Enhancing UN system-wide
knowledge codification and sharing
Output 1.4.1: Develop a strategy for capturing and sharing
lessons learned and experiences from on-going activities of the
HRM, including HRAs and country led support activities
Output 1.2.1: Focused look at UNDAF roll out process in pilot
countries to identify challenges, bottlenecks and areas where
more support is needed in applying HRBA through programming
process (DOCO)
Output 1.4.2: Technical and human resource support to
HuriTALK and HRBA Portal maintenance (UNDP)
0.00
230,000.00
50,000.00
1,000,000.00
70,000.00
254,000.00
Component 2: Strengthening support to Resident Coordinators and UNCT agency leadership on human rights
Priority 2.1 Promoting coherent policy
support and guidance to Resident
Coordinators and UNCT agency leadership
on human rights
Priority 2.2 Enhancing learning
opportunities for RCs and UNCT agency
leadership on human rights
Outputs 2.1.1 & 2.2.1: Update Guidance Notes for RCs on
human rights and develop human rights learning and support
strategy for RCs (OHCHR & UNDP)
Priority 2.3Strengthening the RC Office
capacity on human rights
Output 2.3.1: Deployment of in-country human rights
advisers (OHCHR & UNDP)
436,000.00
3,950,000.00
Component 3: Developing a coherent UN system-wide approach to providing support towards strengthening national
protection systems
Priority 3.1 Supporting the integration of
human rights into national development
policies and strategies
Output 3.1.1: Focused support provided to selected country led initiatives
1,000,000.00
Priority 3.2 Promoting systematic
engagement with international human
rights mechanisms by UNCTs
Output 3.2.1: Develop a consolidated institutional framework
for UNCT engagement with HR mechanisms & roll out
framework and follow up analysis with UNCTs of gaps and value
added of framework
30,000.00
Component 4: Contributing to the integration of human rights issues in the overall UNDG advocacy on development agenda
and global issues
9
Priority 4.1 Strategic positioning of human
rights in the context of UN operational
activities for development
Output 4.1.1: Key messages and advocacy tools developed on
the linkages between human rights and development
100,000.00
UNDOCO Secretariat Costs
HRM Secretariat Costs (travel of staff and activities)
486,655.00
Total Financial Requirements for UNDG- HRM Work Plan/Sub-Total/
7,606,655.00
Programme support costs (7%)
7%
Programming Total
Administrative Agent’s fee (1% of
contributions received)
GRAND TOTAL
532,465.85
8,139,120.85
1%
81,391.21
8,220,512.06
10