GENEVA, Feb 6 (IPS) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has launched a $400 million funding call for 2026 to meet global human rights needs. He warns that, given the increasing crises, the world cannot afford a human rights system in crisis.
“The cost of our work is low; the human cost of underinvestment is immeasurable,” Türk told States at the launch. “In times of conflict and in times of peace, we are a lifeline for the abused, a megaphone for those silenced, a steadfast ally for those who risk everything to defend the rights of others.”
By 2025, UN Human Rights Office staff in 87 countries have observed more than 1,300 trials, supported 67,000 torture survivors, documented tens of thousands of human rights violations and contributed to the release of more than 4,000 people from arbitrary detention.
Türk also emphasized that addressing inequalities and respecting economic and social rights are essential for peace and stability. “Human rights ensure that economies work for all, rather than widening exclusion and increasing instability,” he said.
The Office worked with more than 35 governments in 2025 on the human rights economy, which aims to align all economic policies with human rights. In Djibouti, for example, it helped conduct a human rights analysis of the health budget, with a focus on people with disabilities. It provided critical human rights analyzes to numerous UN country teams working on sustainable development.
Türk outlined several consequences of the reduced funding in 2025. For example, the Bureau conducted only 5,000 human rights monitoring missions, down from 11,000 in 2024. The Bureau’s program in Myanmar faced cuts of more than 60 percent. In Honduras, support for the demilitarization of the prison system and for justice and security sector reforms was reduced. In Chad, advocacy and support for nearly 600 detainees held without legal basis had to be halted.
“Our reporting provides credible information on atrocities and human rights trends at a time when the truth is being eroded by disinformation and censorship. It informs deliberations at both the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council, and is widely cited by international courts, providing crucial evidence of accountability,” he said.
The regular budget liquidity crisis has also had significant consequences for the work of the broader human rights ecosystem. For example, 35 planned dialogues between states parties to UN Human Rights Treaty bodies could not take place.
Four of the eight planned country visits by the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture had to be cancelled. The ability of UN Special Rapporteurs to conduct country visits was limited, and the Human Rights Council’s investigative bodies could not fully fulfill their mandates.
The UN human rights chief also lamented that the Agency lost around 300 staff out of a total of 2,000 and was forced to close or radically reduce its presence in 17 countries, erasing entire programs critical to endangered, threatened or marginalized communities from Colombia and Guinea-Bissau to Tajikistan.
“All this weakens our ‘Protection by Presence’ – a simple idea with powerful impact: that the physical presence of trained human rights officials on the ground deters violations and reduces harm,” Türk said.
In 2025, the Bureau’s approved regular budget was $246 million, but it received only $191.5 million, resulting in a deficit of $54.5 million. It also requested $500 million in voluntary contributions and received only $257.8 million.
The UN Human Rights chief thanked the 113 funding partners – including governments, multilateral donors, private entities – who contributed to the 2025 budget and helped save and improve lives.
For 2026, the UN General Assembly has approved a regular budget of $224.3 million, based on estimated contributions from member states. This amount is 10 percent lower than in 2025, and further uncertainty remains about the actual amount the Agency will receive as a result of the liquidity crisis facing the UN.
Through its 2026 appeal, the Agency is requesting an additional $400 million in voluntary contributions.
“Historically, human rights have represented a tiny share of all UN spending. We must increase support for this low-cost, high-impact work that helps stabilize communities, build trust in institutions and support lasting peace,” the High Commissioner said.
“And we need more unearmarked and timely contributions so we can respond quickly, as human rights cannot wait.”
IPS UN Office
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