The UN will reduce support for human rights programs due to funding cuts from the United States.

Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, stated that the US has announced the cessation of funding for five projects, which will necessitate the closure of some programs, including assistance to torture victims in Iraq, Reuters reports.

Photo: Azeri-Press Agency

The cuts affect initiatives in Equatorial Guinea, Iraq, Ukraine, and Colombia and a fund for indigenous peoples. These were financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US State Department.   

Shamdasani noted that activities will have to be scaled back in some countries, particularly Colombia and Iraq, while opportunities for reallocating funds will be sought in others. According to her, the program in Iraq, which supported torture victims and families of the disappeared, will have to be closed entirely.

The UN has offices worldwide that document human rights violations, assist those unlawfully imprisoned, and protect human rights defenders.

The administration of Donald Trump is reducing funding for international aid programs as part of a review of budgetary expenditures. The United States remains the world’s largest donor and the largest sponsor of the UN Human Rights Office – last year, it provided nearly 14% of its budget, in addition to mandatory contributions to the UN.   

The UN previously noted that approximately 640,000 women and girls in Ukraine would be affected by the cessation of US financial support for the United Nations Population Fund.   

Specifically, Ukrainian women risk losing access to psychosocial support programs, services for survivors of gender-based violence, safe spaces, and economic empowerment initiatives.

Furthermore, assistance to refugees and support for war-affected communities will significantly deteriorate.