On 10 December 2025, U.N. Human Rights Day, Volker Turk, High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that the U.N. human rights structures are crumbling due to the financial crisis and that there are no signs of improvements for 2026.
Investigations and country visits by U.N. independent experts have been scaled back. Some 300 staff positions in the human rights field are being cut - mostly persons on temporary contracts. Temporary contracts are usually of two-years duration, and temporary personel do not have pension rights. However, many of those on temporary contracts are highly qualified, often the cutting edge of those working on human rights issues. Thus, there is a feeling of vulnerability in the U.N. of those working on human rights issues.
The U.N. human rights secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland. Thus in Geneva, there is an office, often the head office, of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working on human rights. The representatives of NGOs often cooperate on issues such as religious liberty or torture or on country situations such as Ukraine or Israel-Palestine. If parts of the U.N. human rights secretariat are moved to other cities where cost-of-living is less - as has been proposed by some, the ability of cooperation among NGOs will be weakened.
At a time when there are strong challenges to human rights standards in many parts of the world, through armed conflict and dictatorial governments, U.N. human rights structures must not be weakened. The financial aspects are the role of governments. However, increased NGO cooperation and focused action depends on NGO leadership and the NGO representatives at the U.N. in Geneva and New York, where human rights issues are also discussed in the General Assembly and other U.N. bodies.
As 2026 starts, we of NGOs must set our priorities and organize for action.
René Wadlow, Association of World Citizens
#The_UN_Goals #humanrights #together #nvaction
