Türk gave some examples of UN Human Rights’ value to countries in transition and a world in turmoil, including advocacy and technical advice that contributed to milestone legal developments, and mechanisms to monitor, investigate and redress human rights violations.

The Office supported countries from Burundi to Honduras to identify and monitor risks and provide early warning of human rights violations to prevent tensions that can lead to violence.

Human Rights Economy

In line with the goal to build a Human Rights Economy, the Office supported human rights-based approaches to taxation and public spending from Jordan to Kenya, Türk said, while in Colombia peasant rights were included in national censuses and surveys and land restitution policies.

In Zambia, following a UN Human Rights study on the rights to food and education, the Government significantly expanded its School Feeding Programme; in South Africa, the Office made recommendations to update environmental regulations.

In Haiti, Türk said the Office provided advice to the Multinational Security Support Mission on implementing the Mission’s human rights compliance mechanism and on preventing and responding to any misconduct involving personnel.

Türk also pointed out that in the Gambia and Somalia UN Human Rights successfully advocated for legal protection against gender-based discrimination and violence, including female genital mutilation.

OHCHR’s technical analysis and advocacy in Mexico contributed to the adoption of a constitutional amendment that recognizes the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Mexicans to participate in decisions on development and land ownership.

At the request of the Interim Government, the Office sent a multidisciplinary team to Bangladesh to pursue human rights investigations and provide support to the accountability and reform processes, and in Syria, the Office’s work over the past 14 years has laid the foundations for accountability and support for transitional justice and healing, Türk said.

Türk also pointed out that the Office was making better use of digital technologies with the launch of the Innovation and Analytics Hub, which supplies tools and data to predict, track, monitor and prevent human rights violations and assists governments to strengthen data systems.

The Office continued to promote the treaties that are the basis of international human rights law, with a record 21 instruments of ratification deposited with the Secretary-General in 2024.

Appeal for much-needed resources

Despite the difficult moment for human rights, Türk noted that funding for human rights remains woefully inadequate, representing less than five per cent of the total regular budget of the United Nations.

The Office is still falling drastically short of the funding needed to provide human rights solutions, he said, adding that a drastic funding reduction will have a “massive impact on what we can deliver and lead.”

UN Human Rights is partially funded through assessed contributions from Member States to the UN regular budget and partially through voluntary contributions (extrabudgetary funding) from funding partners and donors.

“While appealing to all our partners for more much-needed resources, we are continuing with our efforts to make OHCHR and the human rights ecosystem more efficient, effective, economical and fit for purpose,” he said.

Türk emphasized that predictable, sustained, and flexible contributions, preferably unearmarked, as well as early payments is more critical than ever.