By: Peter Lundberg, RWI Executive Director
(This is an op-ed that was published in IISD’s SDG Knowledge Hub, accessible at https://sdg.iisd.org/commentary/guest-articles/reinforcing-a-human-rights-system-under-strain/)
Human Rights Day arrives this year at a moment when the global human rights system is under more pressure than at any point in recent decades. Conflicts are deepening, the climate crisis is accelerating, civic space is shrinking in many regions, and humanitarian needs continue to rise. And the multilateral system that has supported peace, development, and human rights for decades is under real strain. The United Nations, long the anchor of this system, is being tested by geopolitical tension, financial pressure, and the speed of global change.
These challenges should concern us. But they should also invite us to think differently about our role.
For decades, human rights organizations, academic institutes, civil society, and private sector actors have worked alongside the UN and national partners to strengthen institutions, support rights-based governance, and build the capacities societies need to protect their people. We have seen the impact of the UN’s leadership when conditions allow, and we know how vital its role remains.
But today’s environment is changing faster than the institutions created to manage it. The UN is responding through a broad renewal effort – streamlining operations, refocusing on core mandates, and adjusting to a world defined by overlapping crises. These reforms, often referred to as UN80, aim to increase effectiveness, but they also reflect a reality of shrinking resources and rising expectations.
In this context, the wider human rights ecosystem cannot wait for stability to return. We have to help create it.
For organizations like the Raoul Wallenberg Institute, the task is not only to complement the UN’s work but to ensure that human rights progress continues even when the UN’s capacity is stretched. The values that guided the founders of the human rights movement remain constant. They call on us to act with purpose when uncertainty grows.
This is not about replacing the UN. It is about reinforcing what the UN has helped build – and what all of us have a stake in maintaining. The UN80 process shows that the organization is modernizing and prioritizing, but it cannot meet all expectations on its own. When one part of the global architecture is under pressure, others must help hold the line. That is how a system survives, and how it continues to deliver progress.
Across our collective work, we already see this shift. Governments, civil society organizations, academic partners, and private sector actors are seeking deeper engagement and long-term cooperation. They want practical tools, grounded expertise, and partners able to work with both agility and continuity. The broader human rights community is well placed to meet this demand – and ready to do more where needed.
On this Human Rights Day, and as we head into 2026, we reaffirm our commitment to the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But we also recognize the responsibility of this moment. The international human rights system is being tested, and the response must be steady, coordinated, and forward-looking.
No single organization can carry this burden alone. We invite partners across the human rights community – non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society actors, academic institutions, and the private sector – to join in stepping up. Together, we can help ensure that the progress built over decades does not stall but moves forward with renewed strength and purpose.