Additional Context: This information was provided in the U.N.'s Human Rights Appeal for 2026 by Volker Türk, current U.N. human rights chief. According to Türk, funding gaps have constrained OHCHR’s field operations, reducing specialized expertise and forcing cutbacks in countries such as Chile, where assistance to Indigenous communities affected by mining has been significantly scaled back.

Devex Researcher Note: The OHCHR faced a $54.5 million regular budget shortfall and received $242 million less in voluntary contributions than requested in 2025. While framed as a multi-country issue with many donors pulling back, the funding gap was driven in large part by reductions in U.S. foreign assistance — historically the largest source of U.N. human rights funding.

Source: OHCHR