Recently, India has positioned itself as the fourth highest donor to the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). This fund is responsible for financing at least 68 projects globally which are associated with George Soros’s Open Society Foundation. Notably, George Soros’s NGO was put on a watchlist by India in 2016.
About UNDEF
The UNDEF was brought into existence in 2005 by the then UN Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan. The institution was set up as a United Nations General Trust Fund with the primary objective of backing democratization initiatives across the globe. The formation of the fund was well-received by the General Assembly in the Outcome Document of the 2005 World Summit.
UNDEF occupies a unique place as it supplements the UN’s other work with governments in order to fortify democratic governance worldwide.
UNDEF’s Mandate and Projects
Primarily, the UNDEF finances projects that fuel civil society, foster human rights, and cultivate involvement of all societal segments in democratic processes. Most of the funds allocated by UNDEF are directed towards local civil society organizations (CSOs).
The Advisory Board of UNDEF provides policy guidance and instructions for funding, scrutinizes proposals for funding, and recommends fund proposals for sanction by the Secretary-General. The grants provided by UNDEF range from USD 100,000 to USD 300,000.
Until now, in fifteen rounds of funding, UNDEF has extended support to over 880 two-year projects in excess of 130 countries.
India’s Support for UNDEF
Ever since its inception in 2005, India has donated more than USD 32 million to UNDEF. The top three donors to the fund are the US, Sweden, and Germany.
In 2022, India contributed USD 150,000 to the fund, resulting in its positioning as the fourth highest among 45 donors. It is worthy of note that India has consistently championed UNDEF’s mission of endorsing democratic governance worldwide through the funding of projects executed by both local and international CSOs and NGOs.
The source of this information is attributed to IE.