The U.S. has ceased funding for five U.N. human rights projects, including Iraq support, under President Trump’s foreign aid cuts. This affects initiatives in various countries and underscores the need for increased investment in human rights programs worldwide.
The U.N. human rights office announced it is terminating five projects, including those aiding Iraqi torture victims, due to funding cuts from the U.S. government. This decision is part of a broader foreign aid reduction initiated by President Donald Trump, impacting various global programs. The affected projects include initiatives in Equatorial Guinea, Iraq, Ukraine, and Colombia, as well as assistance for indigenous populations funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the U.N. human rights office, indicated that these reductions necessitate scaling back operations in countries such as Colombia and Iraq. The office is exploring the possibility of redistributing available funds to continue its essential work of documenting human rights abuses and supporting victims of illegal detention.
The Iraq initiative, specifically aimed at helping torture victims and families of the disappeared, will cease entirely, although specific details of the program’s closure were not disclosed. Previously, the U.S. was the chief contributor to the U.N. human rights office, accounting for nearly 14% of its budget last year, in addition to obligatory U.N. contributions.
Shamdasani emphasized the importance of continued investment in human rights, asserting that such support is crucial for conflict prevention and crisis resolution. High Commissioner Volker Turk encourages all nations to enhance their financial commitments to human rights initiatives during this critical time.
In summary, the U.S. government’s funding cuts have led to the termination of several U.N. human rights projects, notably those supporting torture victims in Iraq. This reduction marks a significant shift in global human rights funding, challenging ongoing initiatives and highlighting the need for increased international investment in human rights efforts to prevent and address conflicts.
Original Source: www.usnews.com
