New York, September 19 (IPS) – World leaders who gather on the United Nations General meeting of 22-30 September 2025 should commit to protect the UN against powerful governments that the capacity of the organization to promote, protect and undermine human rights and international justice, Human Rights Watch said today.
On the eve of the annual general debate of the general meeting, world leaders will be one meeting About the situation in Palestine, which French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi -Kroonprins Mohammed Bin Salman are expected to chair.
“Human rights and the UN itself are in the sights of powerful governments to an unprecedented extent,” said Federico BorelloInterim Executive Director of Human Rights Watch. “World leaders must promise to ensure that the world organ has the resources and political support that it needs to perform his life -saving human rights and humanitarian work around the world – in Gaza” Ukraine” Sudan” HaitiAnd elsewhere people are in need. ‘
Governments must also take action to stop the escalating atrocities of Israel against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, says Human Rights Watch. They must condemn and take steps to prevent American sanctions against the international criminal court (ICC) officials, prominent Palestinian organizationsAnd a UN expert.
They must gather behind institutions such as the ICC, which fights impunity for war crimes and other atrocities Myanmar” Israel/Palestine” Sudan” UkraineAnd elsewhere around the world.
World leaders must use the September 22 Palestinian Conference Unpleasant publicize To take action aimed at ending decades of impunity for the violations of the Israeli authorities of international humanitarian and human rights legislation against Palestinians. This top, a reaction to the Mijlpaal July 2024 advice By the International Court of Justice (ICJ) about the occupation of the Palestinian territory of Israel, a continuation of a Meeting at a high level in July.
That ICJ advice has established that the decades of Israel’s last occupation is illegal, infringes Palestinians to self-determination and is characterized by serious abuses, Including apartheid. At the Conference of September 22, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and others said they would recognize a Palestinian state.
However, those statements risk, however Be empty gestures Unless states are committed to concrete actions to stop the extermination of Israel of Palestinians and the expansion of illegal settlements.
Governments must suspend weapons to Israel, prohibit trade with illegal settlements and impose targeted sanctions on Israeli officials who are responsible for continuous crimes against Palestinians, including crimes against humanity and Genocide ActsHuman Rights Watch said. States must also print Hamas and Palestinian armed groups To let everything go civil hostages.
The UN is in the grip of an existential financial crisisLargely because of the refusal of the United States to pay its rated contributions – which countries are obliged to pay – and the cancellation of almost all American voluntary financing for countless UN agencies and agencies.
This undermines UN -Humanitarian work, as well as human rights research in Ukraine, RussiaSudan, SyriaIsrael/Palestine, Democratic Republic Congo” Afghanistan” Myanmar” North -KoreaAnd elsewhere.
The US is not only in default on its financial obligations towards the UN. China, the second largest contribution of the UN, has delayed its payments to the regular budget and peace enforcement operations of the organization. A lot of Other governments are also overdue.
Rich governments in the European Union, the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden and others have followed the American decision to close its foreign utility programs by further reducing their own foreign auxiliary budgets, making the UN financial problems worsening.
Governments that give human rights must pay their assessed contributions in full and on time and increase voluntary contributions to the UN, give priority to programs that protect human rights and save lives.
In 2023, the US contributed almost $ 13 billion In assessed and voluntary contributions to the UN. That figure fell to almost zero this year after Trump had ordered a “judgement”Of the American contributions to the UN. It remains unclear whether, when and to what extent the US can resume the UN financing.
UN leadership must look for ways to lower costs while Slide That would have disproportionate influence on human rights work, which is already chronically under -financed. While UN leadership is improving with a package of cost-saving proposals as part of being “UN80” initiativeIt Must take care That independent investigations into human rights violations have the necessary means to continue.
“UN monitoring and investigations can prevent insulting governments from committing atrocities against citizens,” said Borello. “Powerful governments that want to undermine the human rights and humanitarian programs of the UN must be convicted, not emulated. The lives of millions of people around the world depends on it.”
Leaders must insist on meaningful action to tackle serious crises in Sudan and Haiti. In Sudan, citizens are confronted with famine, sexual violence and other atrocities. In Haiti, criminal groups are expanding their control, they escalate murders and sexual violence, including rape of gangs, forcing millions in displacement and confronted with acute food insecurity.
In the meantime, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has rejected to endorse calls from human rights defenders and member states to use physical protection missions Sudan And Haiti.
On February 6, Trump will have a executive order That authorizes assets and access bans for ICC officials and others who support the work of the court. The US government has so far imposed sanctions on the public prosecutor, are two delegates, six judgesthe special UN reporter for the occupied Palestinian territory Francesca Albaneseas well as three leader Palestinian social organizations.
This sanctions are a blatant attack on the rule of law and the international legal system. They mainly strive to thwart the current Palestinian investigation of the ICC, including the hanging of the court Arrest For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza.
UN Member States must confirm their support for the global mandate of the ICC and call on the critical work of civil society and the US government to cancel the sanction program. Member States must also commit themselves to concrete steps to protect the court against these sanctions, including by legislation such as the EU -blocking statusThe aim is to protect European companies against the effects of extraterritorial sanctions.
Member States must further commit themselves to international justice by implementing all ICJ advice, including the court Opinion of July Climate change an existential threat to the planet and claims that the failure of states to protect the climate causes legal consequences.
Representatives must encourage Member States to continue negotiations on an international treaty to prevent and punish crimes against humanity. The Treaty Will fill in a gap in international law that contributes to impunity for serious acts of murder, torture, forced disappearance, sexual violence and persecution, among others, citizens all over the world.
Terrible, systematic abuses the Taliban are continuing to commit women and girls in Afghanistan Since re -declining strength in 2021, why illustrates why Gender apartheid Since a crime against humanity must be admitted to any crimes against humanity, Human Rights Watch said.
“The UN and the international human rights system are put to the test,” said Borello. “To be on the right side of history, it is crucial to push back against powerful governments that try to undermine international standards and demolish roads for accountability.”
https://www.hr.org/news/2025/09/17/un-world-leaders-shougn-commit-too-human-rights -ternational-justice
https://www.hr.org/topic/united-nations
https://www.hr.org/middle-east/north-africa/israel/palestine
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