The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has appealed for $400 million in voluntary contributions for 2026, warning that his office is operating in “survival mode” amid growing global crises and critical funding shortfalls.
Türk launched the appeal in Geneva on Thursday, stating that human rights “cannot wait.” He cautioned Member States that a weakened human rights system poses a significant risk as conflicts and instability rise. “The cost of our work is low; the human cost of under-investment is immeasurable,” he said.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) documented extensive work in 2025, including observing over 1,300 trials in 87 countries, supporting 67,000 torture survivors, and contributing to the release of more than 4,000 people from arbitrary detention. Its teams provided crucial civilian casualty documentation and early warning analysis in 21 armed conflicts. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine maintains the only comprehensive record of civilian casualties since 2014, while operations in Sudan support survivors of sexual violence towards justice and accountability.
Despite this impact, Türk outlined severe consequences from reduced funding. The office’s regular budget from the UN General Assembly for 2026 is $224.3 million—10% lower than 2025. Consequently, OHCHR reduced its presence in 17 countries, eliminated programmes for vulnerable communities like Indigenous Peoples, and laid off roughly 300 of its 2,000 staff. Support for journalists and human rights defenders facing disinformation and censorship was curtailed.
“At a time when truth is being eroded by disinformation and censorship, we had to curtail our support for its guardians – journalists and human rights defenders,” Türk said. “Less support for civic space means more surveillance and more repression.”
The 2026 appeal seeks to restore capacity. Historically, human rights receive a tiny fraction of UN spending. Türk stressed that rights-based approaches stabilize communities and build trust, noting OHCHR helped over 35 governments align economic policies with human rights in 2025—such as a disability-focused health budget analysis in Djibouti.
He thanked 113 funding partners for 2025 support but urged more unearmarked and timely contributions. “We need to step up support for this low-cost, high-impact work,” he said. The appeal aims to allow OHCHR to be “more ambitious, agile, and creative” in 2026, reinforcing its role as a lifeline for the abused and a megaphone for the silenced worldwide.
