Geneva, Switzerland. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned on Monday that human rights are under assault worldwide, citing abuses of international law and severe civilian suffering in conflicts in Sudan, Gaza and Ukraine.
Warning at Human Rights Council
Speaking at the opening of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Guterres said, “The rule of law is being outmuscled by the rule of force.” He said human rights are being pushed back deliberately and urged member states not to treat international human rights “as a menu to pick from.”
UN rights system under financial pressure
Guterres defended the UN human rights system, saying it is in “survival mode” because of funding cuts, attacks on some of its experts, and the United States’ withdrawal from one of its key universal rights accountability mechanisms. “Humanitarian needs are exploding while funding collapses,” he said.
Budget crunch and US arrears
The UN human rights office, like other parts of the organisation, faces a budget crunch following the decision to cut funding by the United States, the top donor to the UN, as well as other governments. A United Nations spokesperson said on Thursday that Washington in February paid about $160 million of the more than $4 billion it owes to the UN.
How do you think funding shortfalls will affect the UN’s ability to monitor and respond to human rights abuses?
