The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is facing a severe funding crisis, threatening its ability to monitor global human rights violations and conduct essential investigations. Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, described the office as being in “survival mode” following substantial funding cuts from key donor countries.

Major Funding Shortfall Forces Job Losses

Turk revealed on Wednesday that the OHCHR is operating with $90 million less than required for 2025. This shortfall has already led to the loss of 300 staff positions, limiting the office’s capacity to track and respond to human rights abuses worldwide.

“Our resources have been slashed, along with funding for human rights organizations at the grassroots level around the world,” Turk said. “We are in survival mode.”

The cuts reflect a broader trend of declining international support for human rights initiatives, even as violations continue to escalate in conflict zones and authoritarian states.

Donor Governments Reduce Contributions

Several major donors, including Britain, the Netherlands, and Sweden, have reduced their contributions to the UN, citing domestic spending priorities and increased defense budgets. The United States, under the administration of President Donald Trump, has significantly scaled back its funding for UN agencies, questioning the UN’s role in global governance and backing congressional measures that rescind contributions to international organizations.

These funding gaps have a direct impact on the UN’s capacity to respond to crises, conduct field investigations, and hold governments accountable for human rights abuses.

Global Humanitarian Crises Face Funding Gaps

The warning from Turk comes as the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) launches a $23 billion appeal for 2026, while facing its own funding shortages. UN officials warn that declining support will leave tens of millions of people in urgent need without aid.

The largest portion of the appeal is targeted at the occupied Palestinian territory, with nearly $4 billion earmarked for Gaza, where millions remain displaced due to ongoing conflict. Other major allocations include:

• $2 billion for displaced people in Sudan
• $1 billion for Sudanese refugees abroad
• $1.4 billion for communities affected by violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Over $2 billion for emergency aid in Syria
• Nearly $3 billion for Syrian refugees

Despite these requests, the UN warns that available funds remain far below the levels required to meet humanitarian and human rights needs globally.

Impacts on UN Operations and Monitoring

Due to the funding crisis, the OHCHR has limited country visits, reduced fact-finding missions, and postponed reviews of states’ compliance with UN human rights treaties. For example, treaty compliance reviews have dropped to 103 in 2025, down from 145 previously.

“All this has extensive ripple effects on international and national efforts to protect human rights,” Turk said, emphasizing that funding shortages undermine accountability and weaken global protections for vulnerable populations.

The Road Ahead

UN officials are calling for renewed commitments from donor nations to safeguard the organization’s human rights work. The crisis underscores the fragility of international human rights monitoring systems in the face of political and financial pressures.

As conflicts, displacement, and human rights violations continue worldwide, the UN’s ability to intervene effectively will depend heavily on immediate funding support from the international community.