Keystone-SDA
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk says financial cuts leave “a free hand” for perpetrators of violations around the world. On Thursday in Geneva, he launched an appeal for $400 million in addition to the regular budget.
(Keystone-ATS) “The cost of our work is low. The human cost of underinvestment is immeasurable,” the Austrian told the Member States. Like many UN actors, he asks that the funds not be linked to conditions, enough to allow his agency to respond quickly to challenges.
The High Commissioner repeats that a Global Alliance for Human Rights should be established in the coming months. This must bring together States, the private sector, the academic world and civil society.
From Syria to artificial intelligence (AI) via Sudan, the High Commissioner promises to use innovations to help people who are victims of or exposed to violations. The regionalization of its entity’s activities will continue.
Last year, the High Commission had to reduce its measures in nearly twenty countries. Two months ago, he had already spoken of a “survival mode” for an agency which had to cut around 300 jobs.
Less than half of human rights monitoring missions, more than 5,000 despite everything, have been carried out compared to the 2024 figure. Tens of thousands of human rights violations have been identified. And more than 4,000 people who were arbitrarily detained, a thousand more than the previous year, were released thanks to the efforts of the High Commission.
