Türk reiterated the Office’s commitment to advocating for the protection and empowerment of human rights defenders, survivors of abuse, and marginalized groups
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has launched a US$500 million funding appeal for 2025, aimed at addressing urgent human rights challenges across the globe. Highlighting crises in regions like Gaza, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, Sudan, and Myanmar, Türk emphasized the critical need for continued international support to combat human rights abuses and ensure accountability.
During the launch of the appeal in Geneva, Türk reflected on the progress made in 2024, when the UN Human Rights Office, with its team of 2,000 staff across 92 countries, carried out over 11,000 human rights monitoring missions and observed nearly 1,000 trials. These efforts led to the documentation of 15,000 human rights violations, with particular focus on issues such as contemporary slavery and torture. The Office also contributed to significant improvements in over 100 detention centers and prisons worldwide.
Türk reiterated the Office’s commitment to advocating for the protection and empowerment of human rights defenders, survivors of abuse, and marginalized groups. This work spans both peacetime and conflict zones, integrating human rights into national and regional governance frameworks. From advancing human rights-based approaches to taxation in countries like Cambodia and Jordan to supporting inclusive development in over 80 projects, the UN Human Rights Office has fostered significant global progress.
Despite these accomplishments, the High Commissioner warned that funding for human rights efforts remains insufficient. While last year’s appeal sought US$500 million, only US$269 million was raised, falling short of targets by four percent. This shortfall threatens the continuation of vital programs that protect vulnerable populations, document human rights abuses, and promote justice.
“We cannot afford to let these critical human rights protections falter. If we do not meet our funding targets in 2025, we risk leaving millions of people in danger—without freedom, opportunity, or protection,” Türk cautioned.
The High Commissioner emphasized that the importance of human rights transcends borders and is a shared responsibility across all sectors of society. With rising global tensions, the UN Human Rights Office’s work has become even more critical, making it essential that funding for human rights initiatives is prioritized.
Türk urged governments, the private sector, civil society, and philanthropies to rally together to meet the funding needs of 2025, calling for support from both traditional and non-traditional donors to ensure the success of these efforts.
“The protection of human rights is an investment in global peace, security, and sustainable development,” said Türk. “Human rights must be a priority in today’s polarized world, and this must be reflected in our financial commitments.”
UN aid agencies cut back ops
Meanwhile, UN agencies have begun cutting back their global aid operations following the 90-day suspension of all foreign assistance ordered by the Trump administration.
Filippo Grandi, the head of the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, responsible for providing life-saving assistance to the 122 million people forcibly displaced from their homes across 136 countries, sent out an overnight email to employees ordering an immediate clampdown on expenditure, including a 90-day delay in ordering new supplies except for emergencies, a hiring and contract freeze, and a halt to all international air travel, as the agency tries to adapt to the US funding freeze.
The new US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, claimed that the US freeze would not affect life-saving aid defined as “core medicine, medical services, food, shelter, subsistence assistance and supplies”, and that it was focused on aid programmes involving abortion, family planning or “gender ideology”. However, the initial impact of the freeze immediately cut humanitarian assistance across the board and around the world.
Grandi said the majority of UN agencies and other international aid organisations have been affected. Around the world, humanitarian assistance programmes have been forced to fire staff and slow down operations following the unprecedented US funding suspension ordered by Trump, pending a review of all aid programmes. Only emergency food programs and military aid to allies Israel and Egypt have been exempt.
In his all-staff email, Grandi said: “We must proceed very carefully over the next few weeks to mitigate the impact of this funding uncertainty on refugees and displaced people, on our operations and on our teams.”
“These steps will help us manage resources while we navigate this challenging period,” he added. “What is clear is that more than ever, we must continue to demonstrate the impact and efficiency of our work.”
The US provided £2bn ($2.49bn) in funding to the UNHCR, according to the latest figures for 2024 – a fifth of the agency’s total budget.
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