DAC Chair: Contribution to the inter-sessional meeting on technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights • I am delighted to participate – although remotely – in this panel

As some of you may know, I was the Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations in Geneva, from 2013 to 2018, often participating in discussions of the Human Rights Council – and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). [...] • With an estimated 2.8 billion people living in countries currently classified as autocratic, we should all be concerned about the shrinking space for democracy and accountability, the growing polarisation, government manipulation of rule of law and elections, the digital spread of disinformation and the increasing use of new technologies to surveil and suppress citizens. [...] • DAC’s work program of recent years has therefore been replete with rights-based development initiatives, ranging from its community of practice on poverty and inequalities examining how to maximise the focus and impact of ODA on reducing poverty and inequality – to the OECD DAC Governance Network’s body of work on inclusive governance. [...] • DAC Members recognise that the rise of autocracies and the growing restrictions on civic space undermine fundamental freedoms and human rights - and diminish the enabling environment for civil society. [...] Therefore, it gives me great pleasure today to recognise and celebrate the UPR and to maintain and reaffirm our own contribution and commitment to this collective agenda, and where we can redouble our efforts to support human rights protection and promotion.