United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stark warning Monday at the opening of the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council, describing a world where the rule of law is being systematically dismantled by the “rule of force.”
Marking the Council’s 20th anniversary, Guterres argued that the current erosion of fundamental freedoms is a deliberate strategic choice made by those in power. He pointed to escalating crises in Ukraine, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as evidence of a global culture of impunity where international law is routinely disregarded.
Human rights are under a full-scale attack around the world.
The consequences are devastating.
We must change course and let human dignity set the direction.
— UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres https://t.co/qXrRCIgEwR pic.twitter.com/EL4pj4mflg
— United Nations (@UN) February 23, 2026
A Crisis of Political Will
The Secretary-General emphasized that global suffering is not a result of a lack of tools, but of “political choices.” He highlighted several intersecting threats currently magnifying the human rights crisis:
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Collapsing Funding: Humanitarian needs are soaring while international financial support withers.
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Technological Oppression: Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to reinforce discrimination and silence dissent.
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Systemic Inequality: Vulnerable groups—including women, minorities, refugees, and the LGBTIQ+ community—are being pushed further to the margins as civic spaces narrow worldwide.
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The UN’s Three-Point Call to Action
To reverse this decline, Guterres outlined a mandatory framework for member states:
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Universal Adherence: Leaders must defend the UN Charter in its entirety. “Leaders cannot pick the parts they like and ignore the rest,” Guterres stated, asserting that rights are indivisible.
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Institutional Reform: The UN Chief called for an urgent overhaul of the Security Council and the international financial system to reflect modern realities and end the paralysis caused by geopolitical rivalries.
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The UN80 Initiative: A new proposal to create a system-wide Human Rights Group to embed human rights into every UN policy, from peacebuilding to development.
Guterres concluded by reminding the Council that human rights are not a “luxury” or a regional preference, but a universal necessity. “A world that protects human rights protects itself,” he declared, calling for a global rejection of impunity.
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