Edited News , Conferences | OHCHR , UNOG
“Any sustainable peace must be anchored in the rights, needs and aspirations of the Ukrainian people, in accountability, and in the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. The decisions made today – whether they foster justice or impunity – will shape what follows,” Türk said at the opening of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
“In Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, where the suffering has been unbearable, I repeat my call for an independent investigation into grave violations of international law, committed by Israel in the course of its attacks across Gaza, and by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups,” he said.
“Any sustainable solution must be based on accountability, justice, the right to self-determination, and the human rights and dignity of both Israelis and Palestinians. Any suggestion of forcing people from their land is completely unacceptable,” Türk said.
Beyond Ukraine and Gaza, conflicts and crises are tearing communities and societies apart, from Sudan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Myanmar and Afghanistan.
Highlighting multiple challenges, the High Commissioner called for an all-out effort by everyone to make sure that human rights and the rule of law remain central to communities, societies and international relations.
“The global consensus on human rights is crumbling under the weight of authoritarians, strongmen and oligarchs,” Türk warned.
“Everywhere, we see attempts to ignore, undermine, and redefine human rights; and to create a false binary that pits one right against another in a zero-sum game. There are concerted efforts to chip away at gender equality, and the rights of migrants, refugees, people with disabilities, and minorities of all kinds,” the High Commissioner said.
“But human rights, from the right to food and adequate housing, to the rights to health, education, and freedom of speech – are for everyone.”
That is the backdrop against which the UN Human Rights Office and the broader human rights ecosystem, including the Human Rights Council, are working to safeguard and promote the rights of everyone, everywhere.
“Today, we need an alternative vision. We need the politics of wisdom, rooted in facts, the law, and compassion,” he said.
“Human rights go beyond thought leadership, to heart leadership. They tap into some of our most cherished ideals about how people should treat each other, and the meaning of human dignity,” he said.
Upholding human rights makes eminent sense for stability, for prosperity, for a better common future, Türk stressed.
“Human rights are a winning proposition for humanity. We will continue to protect, promote and defend them around the world, with humility, determination, and indomitable hope,” he concluded.
The High Commissioner will deliver his Global Update to the UN Human Rights Council on 3 March.
For more information and media requests, please contact
Liz Throssell + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org
Jeremy Laurence - + 41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org
Thameen Al-Kheetan - + - +41 22 917 4232 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org
Seif Magango Tel: +41 79 752 0488 / seif.magango@un.org
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Edited News | UNHCR , UNOG
Over 11.6 million refugees risk losing aid access due to funding cuts, says UNHCR
Approximately one in three refugees and other vulnerable individuals normally supported by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) are expected to lose out from funding cuts, it said on Friday.
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Edited News | OHCHR
Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made the following announcement on the Office’s opening of a new mission in Bangladesh.
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Edited News | OHCHR
“The surge in the number of Afghans forced or compelled to return to Afghanistan this year is creating a multi-layered human rights crisis requiring the urgent attention of the international community,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday.
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Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday called for accountability and justice for the killings and other gross human rights violations and abuses in the southern city of Suweida.
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Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR
Syria: hundreds killed in Sweida, ‘widespread’ violations as civilians flee for their lives
Amid violent clashes in southern Syria’s Sweida governorate, a picture of grave human rights abuses and rising humanitarian needs is emerging by the hour, the UN said on Friday.
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Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva the UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell made the following statement on the latest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine.
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Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called for investigations into hundreds of killings of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank by Israeli security forces and settlers, warning against ongoing forced mass displacement of the Palestinian population.
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Edited News | OHCHR , UNRWA
Nearly 900 people have been killed in Gaza in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.
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Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office have today released a report detailing the evolution of violent gang incidents beyond the capital Port-au-Prince since October 2024 up to June 2025, and the resulting loss of life and mass displacement.
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Edited News | WHO , OHCHR
Gaza: ‘Unacceptable’ choice between getting shot or getting fed – UN humanitarians
Following the deaths of several children in an Israeli strike on Palestinians waiting in line for nutritional supplements in central Gaza on Thursday, UN humanitarians have once again condemned the killings of people at aid distribution sites in the enclave.
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Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the United Nations bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights made the following comments on the recent violence in Kenya.
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Edited News | ITC
US tariffs uncertainty hurts world economy, with poorest countries hit hardest – top UN economist
A new US decision to further delay the end of a 90-day pause on tariffs is bad for business, a top UN economist said on Tuesday.