US Funding Cuts Force U.N. Rights Office to Halt Key Human Rights Programs
The U.S. has terminated funding for five U.N. human rights projects, including support for torture victims in Iraq. This cut is part of a broader reduction in foreign aid under President Trump. U.N. spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani highlighted the negative implications for human rights initiatives globally, urging for increased investment in human rights efforts.
The U.N. human rights office reported that it has received termination notices from the U.S. government concerning five of its projects, which necessitates the cessation of certain programs, notably support for torture victims in Iraq. This decision aligns with U.S. President Donald Trump’s significant reduction of foreign aid as part of an overarching budgetary overhaul, with broader implications for these programs becoming evident.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the U.N. human rights office, indicated that the termination notices affect initiatives in Equatorial Guinea, Iraq, Ukraine, and Colombia, as well as a fund for indigenous peoples. These projects had previously been funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. State Department, and the office will now need to reduce operations in several countries as a result.
The U.N. human rights office operates globally, documenting abuses, assisting individuals in illegal detention, and safeguarding human rights activists. The program focused on Iraq, which provided crucial assistance to torture victims and families of the disappeared, will be entirely discontinued, as stated by Shamdasani.
Previously, Washington was the foremost contributor to the U.N. human rights office, accounting for nearly 14% of its budget last year, in addition to obligatory U.N. fees. Shamdasani emphasized that investment in human rights should increase rather than decrease, advocating that such investment plays a vital role in conflict prevention and crisis management, urging all states to enhance their contributions.
In summary, the U.S. government’s decision to cut funding has resulted in the termination of several U.N. human rights projects, particularly impacting support for torture victims in Iraq. The U.N. human rights office, which has historically received significant funding from the U.S., now faces challenges in sustaining its global initiatives that uphold human rights and protect vulnerable populations. The call for increased investment in human rights remains critical amid these reductions.
Original Source: www.usnews.com
