Here’s another story that will make you wonder why the United Nations still exists.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres released a report sounding the alarm about the increase in human rights abuses on a global scale.
Guterres discussed the issue on Monday while speaking at the opening of the U.N. Human Rights Council’s annual meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. He warned that human rights are under “full-scale attack” amid the wars in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.
The secretary-general complained that the “rule of law is being outmuscled by the rule of force.” Yet the very U.N. body that is supposedly meant to combat human rights abuses has shown itself to be impotent against the brutality of authoritarian governments.
He further stated that the assault “is not coming from the shadows or by surprise,” but is “happening in plain sight — and often led by those who hold the greatest power.”
“Around the world, human rights are being pushed back deliberately, strategically, and sometimes proudly,” Guterres continued. “The consequences are devastating — as witnessed in the Council.”
The secretary-general argued that these abuses are the reason why the tools used by the Human Rights Council are “essential.”
He noted that “human rights defenders are among the first to be silenced when they try to warn us” and that journalists and activists are being jailed for exposing the brutality of regimes across the globe.
“Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.” That saying feels especially relevant when looking at the Islamic Republic of Iran.
— Daniel Lubetzky (@DanielLubetzky) February 20, 2026
On January 23rd, the United Nations Human Rights Council held a special session to address the worsening human rights crisis in… pic.twitter.com/K3AJw1WZy4
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Here’s the thing: If the secretary-general wants to stop human rights abusers, he doesn’t have to look very far. Indeed, three of the world’s most vicious abusers sit on the Human Rights Council itself.
China, a current council member, has detained over a million Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in “re-education” camps, cracked down on civil liberties in Hong Kong, and employs one of the most advanced mass surveillance machines on earth.
Cuba, another council member, has imprisoned, beaten, and even killed dissidents for speaking out against the government. It has made political opposition illegal and routinely harasses journalists and others that expose the government’s practices.
More hot air from a spineless leader of a disgraceful organisation - Guterres is only concerned with the Human Rights of a select few. Women, Iranians and Israelis don't make his list. pic.twitter.com/zEC4MOgOKV
— Elizabeth Gregory 🎗 🇮🇪 🇦🇺 (@OzzyJellyEllie) February 23, 2026
Russia, which has held a seat on the council in several cycles, has engaged in unlawful killings, torture, forced deportations of children, and bloody operations against civilian infrastructure during its invasion of Ukraine.
Yet, these governments, as well as several others, get seats on a council that is supposedly dedicated to protecting human rights. It’s like having the KKK provide security for an NAACP event.
But this further shows how impotent the United Nations has become. The organization rarely imposes meaningful consequences on tyrannical governments. The Human Rights Council can certainly pass resolutions, appoint investigators, and write strongly-worded letters while pounding its chest. But at the end of the day, it cannot enforce its findings or decisions.
The bottom line is that the United Nations is no longer relevant. It can say a lot of things — but it lacks the power and authority to do them. This is yet another reason why the United States shouldn’t bother being a member.
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