UN Rights Chief Decries Normalization of Force to Solve Global Disputes

On February 28, 2026, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk issued a stark warning to the Human Rights Council in Geneva about the rapidly deteriorating global security landscape. He pointed out that the number of armed conflicts worldwide has nearly doubled since 2010, reaching approximately 60.

Türk stated that world leaders are increasingly wielding power for its own sake, leading to a situation where "the threat and use of force to solve disputes is becoming more frequent and normalised." He described this trend as making the world a more dangerous place and urged the international community to resist reverting to violence as an "organising principle."

The High Commissioner specifically highlighted the devastating conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which he said are creating a "human rights wasteland," and warned against standing by while the foundations of international law are dismantled.