UN chief says rule of force eclipsing rule of law

Anabelle Colaco
25 Feb 2026, 07:51 GMT+10

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that human rights are being eroded across the globe, pointing to mounting violations of international law and the toll on civilians in conflicts from Sudan to Gaza and Ukraine
Addressing the opening session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Guterres said the global system designed to protect fundamental freedoms is under strain
Guterres described a deliberate pushback against human rights norms and urged member states not to apply international standards selectively

GENEVA, Switzerland: U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that human rights are being eroded across the globe, pointing to mounting violations of international law and the toll on civilians in conflicts from Sudan to Gaza and Ukraine.

Addressing the opening session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Guterres said the global system designed to protect fundamental freedoms is under strain.

"The rule of law is being outmuscled by the rule of force," he said.

Guterres described a deliberate pushback against human rights norms and urged member states not to apply international standards selectively.

Human rights are being deliberately pushed back, Guterres said, urging member states not to view international human rights as a menu to pick from.

He also defended the United Nations human rights system, saying it is operating in "survival mode" amid shrinking resources, criticism of some of its experts, and the United States' withdrawal from a key universal accountability mechanism.

"Humanitarian needs are exploding while funding collapses," he said.

The U.N. human rights office, like other parts of the organization, is facing budgetary pressures following funding cuts by the United States, the largest contributor to the U.N., as well as reductions from other governments.

A U.N. spokesperson said last week that Washington had paid about US$160 million in February toward the more than $4 billion it owes to the United Nations.