Permanent Mission of India,
Geneva
Statement by Ambassador Mr. Ajit Kumar, Permanent Representative of India to the UN in Geneva at 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council (13 June-01 July 2016) under Agenda Item 10 (Technical Assistance and Capacity Building) General Debate
30 June 2016
Mr. Vice-President,
We thank the Deputy High Commissioner and the Board of the Trustees of Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation for their presentations. We appreciate and support the efforts of OHCHR in capacity building and technical assistance in various areas relating to human rights.
2. A dedicated agenda item on technical assistance and capacity building reflects the special place and the important mandate that the Council has in this area. We believe that the best way to protect human rights is by strengthening national mechanisms. The Council and its mechanisms, therefore, should focus on enabling Member States develop the necessary national institutions and capacities through rendering appropriate technical assistance, upon request. The primacy of State’s role and participation should be fully respected in the process.
3. We strongly believe that discussions under Agenda Item 10 must genuinely engage with and aim to address the needs of the concerned countries. It should focus more on technical cooperation and not be used as a proxy for Agenda Item 4 for listing violations and naming and shaming countries.
Mr. Vice-President,
4. As envisaged in VDPA and the founding resolutions of this Council, any technical assistance rendered to states should be upon their explicit request and should be aligned to national objectives and priorities. The accepted UPR recommendations and pledges provide a good framework to develop and strengthen technical cooperation.
5. For technical cooperation to be effective, regular monitoring and evaluation of the results achieved becomes critical. We take note of the efforts of the Office in improving its Performance Monitoring System. We have in the past called for a thorough assessment and analysis of the technical capacities that States have at their disposal. Such assessments should guide OHCHR efforts in streamlining its cooperation programmes and would help in optimal utilization of all available resources.
Mr. Vice-President,
6. The report of the Board of Trustees notes that while the demand for specific technical cooperation in the area of socio-economic rights is increasing, the Office had to substantially limit or to discontinue relevant staff training in this area. This is a cause of concern. We call on the High Commissioner to ensure the right balance between different human rights, including the rights to development, in planning and implementing its technical cooperation programmes.
7. We also note with concern the increasing funding deficit in the UN Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation and underscore the importance of ensuring its sustainability. We encourage States and other donors to contribute to voluntary fund so that the increasing requests for technical assistance can be met as a matter of priority.
In conclusion,
8. We call upon all Member States to give priority to Agenda Item 10 while preserving its sanctity and intended purpose, so as to have a real and meaningful impact on the improvement of human rights on the ground.
I thank you.
