From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 23, 2026
Human rights are under assault globally, UN Secretary General says
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Human rights are under assault worldwide, the United Nations chief warns, citing widespread abuses of international law and devastating civilian suffering in conflicts in Sudan, Gaza and Ukraine.
“The rule of law is being outmuscled by the rule of force,” says UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, speaking at the opening of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
“Around the world, human rights are being pushed back deliberately, strategically, and sometimes proudly,” Guterres says.
The UN human rights chief has said his office is in “survival mode” due to funding cuts that have come alongside pressure on UN experts and US disengagement.
“Humanitarian needs are exploding while funding collapses,” Guterres says.
The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, tells the Council that the world faces the most intense competition for power and resources since World War II, amid widespread rights violations. He joins Guterres in urging an end to abuses in conflicts in Sudan, Gaza, Myanmar and Ukraine.
The UN says funding shortages have prevented two investigations launched in 2025 — an inquiry into potential war crimes in Democratic Republic of Congo and a investigation into abuses in Afghanistan — from becoming operational.
The Times of Israel Community.