Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, announced the launch of a campaign aimed at raising $400 million for 2026 to address pressing human rights issues on a global scale.
In 2025, staff from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in 87 countries monitored over 1,300 judicial processes, assisted 67,000 victims of torture, documented tens of thousands of violations, and helped free more than 4,000 people subjected to arbitrary detention.
According to reports, in 2025, OHCHR managed to conduct only 5,000 human rights monitoring missions, significantly less than the 11,000 in 2024 due to funding cuts.
“Our reports provide a reliable source of information on crimes and current trends in human rights, especially in conditions where the truth is distorted by disinformation and censorship. They form the basis for discussions in the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council, and are widely used by international courts to ensure accountability,” Turk noted.
He expressed regret that OHCHR has lost about 300 staff out of 2,000 and has been forced to close or significantly reduce its presence in 17 countries, which negatively affected programs vital for vulnerable and marginalized groups, including communities in Colombia, Guinea-Bissau, and Tajikistan.
According to the UN News Service, the approved budget for OHCHR in 2025 was $246 million, but only $191.5 million was actually received. An additional $500 million was requested in voluntary contributions, of which only $257.8 million was raised.
For 2026, the UN General Assembly approved a regular budget for OHCHR of $224.3 million, which is 10% less than in 2025. However, it remains unclear how much the office will actually receive. As part of the new campaign for 2026, OHCHR is requesting an additional $400 million in voluntary contributions.
