United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a passionate warning during the Human Rights Council’s launch in Geneva: human rights are facing intentional, calculated degradation on a global scale. Citing ongoing atrocities in Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine, and beyond, he underscored massive breaches of international law and the dire plight of ordinary citizens caught in the crossfire.
“Power is eclipsing law everywhere,” Guterres stated bluntly. He accused actors of deliberately undermining rights with strategic intent and shocking impunity.
The UN’s internal woes compound the crisis. Guterres revealed that slashed budgets have left the human rights apparatus in survival mode, strained by expert pressures and key donors pulling out, including America. With rising demands and vanishing funds, the system’s capacity is eroding fast.
High Commissioner Volker Turk aligned with Guterres, attributing rampant violations to post-WWII power grabs and resource wars. Despite nations’ bids for supremacy, he affirmed enduring faith in dignity, equal rights, and justice.
Turk highlighted threats to sovereign states, ignoring the risks of escalation. Critically, cash crunches have halted 2025 launches of investigations into Congo war crimes and Afghan abuses.
This dual crisis—external assaults and internal decay—signals a perilous moment for global humanity. Guterres and Turk called for urgent action to restore the rule of law and safeguard vulnerable populations everywhere.