UN rights office in ‘survival mode’ amid deep funding cuts

The United Nations’ top human rights official says his office is struggling to operate after major funding cuts from donor governments, even as rights abuses escalate across the globe.

Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said on Wednesday that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has $90m less than it needs this year. He told reporters the shortfall has already forced the loss of 300 jobs and reduced the organisation’s ability to monitor violations around the world.

“Our resources have been slashed, along with funding for human rights organisations, including at the grassroots level, around the world,” Turk said. “We are in survival mode.”

Donor governments including Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden have pulled back on UN contributions and aid as they prioritise defence and domestic spending. A significant reduction has also come from the United States, where the administration of US President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned the role of the UN, withdrawing from UN agencies and supporting a congressional rescission that removed funding for international organisations, including the UN.

The warning from Turk comes as the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which handles humanitarian aid and crisis response, launches a $23bn appeal for 2026 while also facing cuts of its own, acknowledging that a sharp drop in donor support means tens of millions of people in urgent need will be left without assistance.

The largest request is for the occupied Palestinian territory, with $4bn mostly aimed at Gaza, where Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people has left almost all 2.3 million residents displaced and dependent on aid. UN officials say that figure is well below the level of need.

Funding is also being sought for other major crises, including $2bn for people displaced in Sudan and $1bn for Sudanese refugees who have fled the conflict there. Another $1.4bn is requested for communities affected by violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, more than $2bn for emergency support inside Syria, and nearly $3bn for Syrian refugees.

To cope with the financial crisis, Turk said country visits by UN experts have been limited and fact-finding missions and investigations have been reduced. Reviews of states’ compliance with UN human rights treaties have also been postponed, dropping to 103 this year from 145 previously.