Norway to provide NOK 394 million to support the UN’s human rights efforts
Press release | Date: 25/06/2024 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs
‘War, authoritarian regimes and food insecurity are posing a threat to people’s rights across the world. It is more important than ever to support the UN’s efforts to safeguard respect for human rights,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) monitors and documents human rights violations and helps countries to comply with their human rights obligations. OHCHR is Norway’s most important partner in the field of international human rights. Norway will continue the dialogue and cooperation on thematic priority areas and the situation in selected countries.
Norway has allocated a total of NOK 394 million in support to OHCHR for the period 2024–2025. NOK 388 million of the overall allocation is core funding, while NOK 6 million will distributed as voluntary contributions to the Fund for Indigenous Peoples and the Fund for Victims of Torture, respectively.
‘The core support is intended to enable OHCHR to respond rapidly to new crises where human rights have come under pressure. This new funding agreement confirms Norway’s role as a significant donor to UN human rights efforts,’ said Mr Eide.
At present, only about 5 % of the UN budget goes to OHCHR. The result is persistent underfunding of the UN’s human rights pillar. Voluntary contributions, such as those made by Norway and other donors, are therefore of vital importance to the agency.