The UN human rights chief stated Thursday his company was “in survival mode” as a consequence of funding shortfalls, as he launched a $400 million attraction to sort out international rights crises in 2026.
Volker Turk warned nations that at a time when international human rights are underneath vital assault, his workplace was going through dire funding shortages hampering its more and more vital and life-saving work.
“Our reporting offers credible info on atrocities and human rights traits at a time when fact is being eroded by disinformation and censorship,” he instructed diplomats on the UN rights workplace headquarters in Geneva.
“We’re a lifeline for the abused, a megaphone for the silenced, and a steadfast ally to those that threat all the pieces to defend the rights of others.”
In 2025, the UN Human Rights Workplace’s common funds — set by the UN Common Meeting of member states — was $246 million, nevertheless it in the end acquired solely $191.5 million of that cash.
It additionally sought $500 million in voluntary contributions, of which $257.8 million got here in.
Funding for the UN’s human rights work has lengthy been chronically underfunded, however Mr. Turk stated: “We’re at present in survival mode, delivering underneath pressure.”
“These cuts and reductions untie perpetrators’ fingers in every single place, leaving them to do no matter they please. With crises mounting, we can not afford a human rights system in disaster,” he added.
The UN human rights workplace misplaced round 300 out of two,000 workers final yr and needed to finish or cut back its work in 17 nations.
Its programme in Myanmar, for instance, was lower by 60%.
Excessive impression, low value
This yr, the Common Meeting accepted a daily funds of $224.3 million for human rights.
Nevertheless with the United Nations going through a liquidity disaster, uncertainty stays over how a lot Turk’s workplace will obtain.
The Workplace of the Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights is amongst a slew of worldwide organisations hit by a worldwide funding disaster.
America was the United Nations’ largest contributor, however has slashed its funding since President Donald Trump returned to energy in January 2025 — whereas different nations have tightened their belts.
UN chief Antonio Guterres warned final Friday that the world physique is on the point of monetary collapse and will run out of money by July, as he urged nations to pay their dues.
In opposition to this backdrop, Mr. Turk is searching for $400 million in voluntary funding from nations and donors.
He stated human rights accounted for a really small slice of general UN spending however produced “high-impact” outcomes that assist to stabilise communities, construct belief in establishments and underpin lasting peace.
“The price of our work is low; the human value of underinvestment is immeasurable,” he insisted.
In 2025, UN human rights workers working in 87 nations undertook greater than 5,000 human rights monitoring missions — down from 11,000 in 2024.
“Meaning much less proof for each safety and prevention,” stated Mr. Turk.
‘Countering secrecy’
Giving examples of his workplace’s work, Mr. Turk stated it supported 67,000 survivors of torture and fashionable slavery, documented tens of hundreds of human rights violations and uncovered discrimination in additional than 100 nations.
Its monitoring mission in Ukraine is the “solely organisation” with a complete report of verified civilian casualties “because the preliminary Russian invasion in 2014”, he stated.
In Bangladesh, its fact-finding mission on the 2024 crackdown “helped set up a complete report of systematic and critical human rights abuses”.
And the probe within the Democratic Republic of Congo “uncovered patterns of grave human rights violations which will quantity to crimes towards humanity”.
“All this work goals to convey the tales of victims to the world, countering secrecy — the oppressor’s strongest ally — and difficult injustice and impunity,” Mr. Turk stated.
Revealed – February 05, 2026 09:54 pm IST