Published on: 2026-10-17
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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October 14, 2026 Human Rights
The world is witnessing a record number of wars in recent decades, and respect for the UN Charter and international law is weakening. This was warned on Wednesday by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly.
Chairman of the General Assembly Khalilur Rahman, opening the session, reminded that the topics dealt with by the Committee – human rights, social and humanitarian issues – concern real people in all regions of the world.
“My primary commitment at this General Assembly session is to restore trust in the multilateral system,” Rahman said. According to him, progress in the field of human rights is impossible without stable financing and effective implementation of adopted decisions.
Wars around the world
Volker Türck emphasized in his speech that there are currently more than 60 wars in the world involving at least one state – this is the highest number since World War II.
According to him, Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine is intensifying: the number of casualties among civilians and strikes on infrastructure is increasing. The conflict between the U.S. and Iran, he continued, has consequences for the entire region and far beyond.
The High Commissioner recalled the Houthi attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia, as well as the escalation in Yemen, the war in Sudan, the fighting in northern Ethiopia, the tension between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and air strikes on civilians in Myanmar.
“In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian civilians are dying en masse despite the ceasefire, while Israel’s annexation of the West Bank continues in defiance of the International Court’s ruling,” said Turk.
AI: while it’s not too late
The UN’s chief human rights defender also warned of the unprecedented risks posed by the rapid development of artificial intelligence. He called on states and companies to act in accordance with the findings of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance and the Independent International Scientific Group on AI.
“I want to emphatically stress that we urgently need a functioning AI governance system before it is too late,” he addressed the delegates.
“Rights are not an additional option”
The High Commissioner expressed concern that a number of influential states are claiming an exclusive status. “Law is not an additional option, but a fundamental guarantee of justice and security,” he emphasized.
Türk provided figures on the work of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). In 2025, its staff conducted over 5,000 monitoring missions, observed more than 1,300 judicial proceedings, and helped free nearly 5,000 people subjected to arbitrary detention. Since 2021, OHCHR has supported almost 200 legislative reforms in 72 countries.
According to Türk, human rights work requires minimal investment but yields significant returns: it helps stabilize communities and build trust in institutions. He called on states to strengthen strategic, political, and financial support for this activity.
“In these turbulent times, human rights are our main source of hope for peace, justice, sustainable development, and the ability of people to determine their own destiny,” concluded the High Commissioner.
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