Human rights work around the world is facing a severe survival crisis, the United Nations has warned. Speaking at the UN’s business and human rights forum in Geneva, UN rights chief Volker Turk described the human rights ecosystem as being “on its knees,” struggling amid funding shortages and rollbacks of accountability laws.
Turk said the UN’s human rights office, like many international organizations, is feeling the impact of a global funding crisis. “The entire human rights ecosystem is in survival mode,” he emphasized, highlighting the urgent need for creative support mechanisms.
The UN itself is considering reforms to address chronic liquidity problems, including a proposed 15-percent budget cut for 2026. Funding for human rights work has long been insufficient, and recent cuts could disproportionately affect the UN’s rights office. As of 2025, only 73 percent of member states’ regular budget contributions have been received, leaving $67 million unpaid. Voluntary funding from the United States, the UN’s largest contributor, has also decreased sharply after funding was paused following Donald Trump’s return to power.
To sustain human rights work, Turk encouraged innovative approaches, such as payroll-giving initiatives by companies, and emphasized the creation of a “global alliance for human rights.” This alliance aims to unite states, businesses, civil society, and philanthropists to strengthen human rights protections globally.
Turk also sounded the alarm on violations linked to the private sector. He condemned attacks on human rights defenders exposing business-related abuses and warned that watering down corporate accountability laws could have global repercussions. He further highlighted the pushback against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies as an emerging threat to rights protections.
As the world faces mounting political, social, and economic challenges, the UN calls for renewed commitment to safeguard human rights. Turk’s message is clear: without urgent action and global cooperation, the mechanisms protecting fundamental freedoms risk collapsing.
