Volker Turk. Photo: Collected

GENEVA, Feb 5, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - UN human rights chief Volker Turk said Thursday his agency was "in survival mode" due to funding shortfalls and launched a $400 million appeal to tackle global rights crises in 2026.

"Our reporting provides credible information on atrocities and human rights trends at a time when truth is being eroded by disinformation and censorship," he insisted, saying funding cuts "untie perpetrators' hands everywhere, leaving them to do whatever they please".