United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning on Monday at the opening of the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council, describing a world where human rights are under severe strain due to ongoing conflicts and increasing authoritarianism.
Speaking in Geneva, Guterres condemned “warmongers who thumb their nose at international law, international humanitarian law, and the UN Charter,” emphasizing the human toll of wars in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He highlighted that more than 12,600 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago and urged a “just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter, international law, and General Assembly resolutions.”
On the Middle East, the UN chief described the ceasefire in Gaza as “precarious” and called for its preservation to prevent further suffering. He also voiced concerns over violence in the occupied West Bank, particularly attacks by Israeli settlers and discussions of annexation.
“It’s time for a permanent ceasefire, the dignified release of all remaining hostages, irreversible progress toward a two-state solution, an end to the occupation, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with Gaza as an integral part,” Guterres stated.
Guterres also addressed escalating violence in eastern Congo, where Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have intensified attacks, raising fears of regional instability.
“We see a deadly whirlwind of violence and horrifying human rights abuses,” he warned, calling for diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
Beyond conflict zones, Guterres criticized the rise of authoritarianism, pointing to leaders who suppress opposition, restrict freedoms, and exploit economic and technological systems for control.
“The global consensus on human rights is crumbling under the weight of authoritarians, strongmen, and oligarchs,” he said, noting that autocratic regimes now control about one-third of the global economy.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk echoed these concerns, stating that the international human rights system is facing “a tectonic shift” and has “never been under so much strain.” He called for independent investigations into alleged human rights violations, including those committed in Gaza and Ukraine.
The Human Rights Council’s session will continue through April 4, addressing human rights situations in over 40 countries, as well as broader issues such as disability rights, genocide prevention, and freedom of speech.
Despite the grave challenges to the system of global protections built in the decades after World War II, President Donald Trump issued an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the U.N. Human Rights Council.
A withdrawal Human Rights Watch Chief Advocacy Officer Bruno Stagno Ugarte called “ill-advised and badly timed.”
“Any honest observer could only conclude that, despite the current composition of the Human Rights Council – which includes states with dismal rights records such as China, Cuba, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia – overall council members stood firmly together to try to help victims of serious human rights abuses around the globe,” said Stagno. “This is not the time – and the Human Rights Council is not the place – for the United States to embolden rights-abusing governments by withdrawing from, or otherwise undermining, the council.”
“The Trump administration’s withdrawal from the U.N. Human Rights Council, coupled with its abusive use of power at home, only confirm what we’ve always known — Trump is leading a concerted, aggressive effort to violate basic human rights of those who are most in need of protection while at the same time undermining the legitimacy of international bodies that are in charge of holding all governments accountable,” said Jamil Dakwar, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Human Rights Program. “His misguided policy of isolationism only harms American interests and betrays our values as a nation.”
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