UN Appeals for Funding, Says Human Rights Office Is in ‘Survival Mode’ After Funding Reductions

UN’s Financial Struggles Amid Funding Cuts

The United Nations is urgently seeking financial support as several agencies face significant challenges due to cutbacks initiated during the Trump administration.

In late January, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a warning about a looming financial crisis, highlighting the issue of unpaid membership fees from various member states. This concern was echoed by representatives from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Thursday, who mentioned that the agency is currently in “survival mode” due to a sharp decline in donor funding.

“We are now operating under extreme pressure,” U.N. human rights commissioner Volker Türk noted in his address to delegates in Geneva. He expressed that this situation has led to an increase in hate speech and attacks, alongside a decrease in legal protections against such actions.

The urgency of the situation was further emphasized by Türk’s recent appeal for $400 million to sustain an office dedicated to monitoring and advocating for global human rights. He remarked that the OHCHR has already begun to reduce its operations in response to the lack of funds, primarily resulting from decreased contributions from the U.S. and European nations.

Voluntary contributions from the U.S. to U.N. agencies like the Human Rights Office have shrunk, and several countries, including the U.S., have withheld mandatory payments to the U.N.’s regular budget. The U.S. is the largest contributor, responsible for roughly 22% of the budget, while China contributes about 20%. Although the deadline for regular budget payments is February 8, only 52 out of 193 member states had fulfilled their financial obligations for 2026 by the previous Friday.

Guterres stated in a letter to ambassadors that the crisis is worsening, jeopardizing the implementation of crucial programs. He called on all member states to meet their financial commitments promptly to prevent further financial collapse.

The U.S. owes over $2 billion for the regular U.N. budget, an additional $2.4 billion related to peacekeeping operations, and $43 million concerning the tribunal, according to U.N. officials. President Trump, when asked about the release of funds, suggested that he could resolve the issue easily and implied that other nations could be compelled to pay their shares.

A spokesperson from the State Department refuted the notion that the U.N. is responsible for the budget crisis, framing it instead as a management issue. They cited high salaries and benefits for U.N. staff compared to U.S. government roles and pointed out recent increases in bureaucratic positions as problematic. The spokesperson also criticized the OHCHR for their claims against the U.S., referencing the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Human Rights Council due to perceived biases.

This appeal by Türk followed a condemnation of systemic issues regarding the treatment of immigrants and refugees by U.S. authorities. He urged American leaders to cease what he described as tactics that scapegoat marginalized communities.