The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has said his office is struggling to operate after losing $90 million in funding from donor governments this year. He told reporters on Wednesday that the shortfall has already led to 300 job losses and limited the UN’s ability to monitor human rights violations worldwide.
Turk explained that several donor countries, including Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States, have reduced contributions as they prioritise domestic and defence spending. The funding cuts have affected grassroots human rights organisations as well as UN operations.
He added that the UN has reduced country visits, fact-finding missions, and treaty compliance reviews, dropping from 145 last year to 103 this year. The High Commissioner warned that these cuts could have extensive ripple effects on international and national efforts to protect human rights.
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The funding crisis comes as the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs launches a $23 billion appeal for 2026. The appeal includes support for people affected by crises in Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Syria, with officials warning that reduced donor contributions could leave millions without essential aid.
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