Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDEF was created by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan in 2005 as a United Nations General Trust Fund. It was welcomed by the General Assembly in the Outcome Document of the 2005 World Summit (A/RES/60/1, paragraphs 136-137). The Fund supports projects that strengthen the voice of civil society organizations, promote human rights, and encourage the participation of all groups in democratic processes. Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDEF works directly with civil society partners at local, regional and global levels, complementing the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ¡¯s work with governments, to strengthen governance around the world.
For twenty years, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDEF¡¯s 1,000+ projects have spanned over 130 countries across the globe, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
The grant process begins and ends at the project site: the Fund is demand-driven, not supply-oriented. Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDEF works with its partners to generate, design, manage, and fund projects that can strengthen participatory governance in seven main areas:
- Rule of law and human rights;
- Youth engagement;
- Women¡¯s leadership and gender equality;
- Media and freedom of information;
- Strengthening civil society interaction with government;
- Support for electoral processes; and
- Civic engagement for climate action
Grants average about $200,000 per project.
By creating networks and convening opportunities, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDEF strengthens partnerships among civil society, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, governments, and academia to advance good governance and drive dialogue across major multilateral platforms and global events.
As a self-sufficient and largely autonomous part of the United Nations system funded entirely by voluntary contributions, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDEF is uniquely positioned to build mutual understanding and cooperation between states and civil society at the local, national, and global levels.
