UN rights body appeals for some 250 mln more USD funding for 2017 program

In light of the many challenges the world is currently facing, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) launched on Wednesday a 253 million U.S. dollars extra-budgetary funding appeal for its 2017 program of work.

This would supplement the 107 million dollars already provided to the OHCHR through the UN's regular budget allocation.

"In numerous countries, even the rules are under attack -- xenophobia and calls for racial and religious discrimination have entered mainstream discourse," OHCHR chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, said in a statement.

"A collective failure to prevent, minimize and resolve conflicts and proxy wars is feeding brutal extremist groups and creating wave upon wave of the most shocking human suffering, including forcing millions of people to flee their homes and everything they have ever known," he added.

The top UN official highlighted that investing in human rights today can help avoid future problems. He also reminded that his office is "dramatically and chronically under-funded."

It is against this backdrop that Zeid urged both states and private entities to increase their donations so as to enable the UN body to carry out its global mandate.

"More and more people are suddenly realizing we can no longer afford to be complacent about human rights, and that the erosion of other people's human rights will sooner or later lead to the erosion of our own," Zeid continued.

"The time to stand up for human rights is now. We are counting on your support," he said. Enditem