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\u201cDeclining respect for human rights<\/a>\u201d and a retreat from multilateralism are putting hard-won gains in global development at risk, a senior UN<\/a> figure has warned. <\/p>\n In comments made at a high-level meeting in Geneva, Nada Al-Nashif, UN deputy high commissioner for human rights, said that warfare<\/a>, resurgent climate skepticism<\/a>, cuts to overseas aid<\/a> and a retrenchment from values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)<\/a> are all putting global progress at risk.<\/p>\n \u201cIn recent decades, our world has advanced in extraordinary ways \u2013 becoming safer, fairer, more inclusive, and more prosperous. Human rights are at the heart of this progress,\u201d she said. \u201cYet today, declining respect for human rights and multilateralism are threatening these very hard-won development gains.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe results speak for themselves: poverty reduction has stalled,\u201d Ms Al-Nashif said, repeating a warning from the World Bank about \u201ca lost decade for development\u201d. <\/p>\n Ms Al-Nashif also cited conflicts that are \u201ccausing appalling suffering<\/a>\u201d, and which are ignoring the rules of war by \u201ctargeting civilians and critical infrastructure<\/a>\u201d. The comments come amid conflicts in both Gaza and Ukraine.<\/p>\n Ms Al-Nashif also criticised the \u201cpushbacks on climate action, on civic participation, on diversity, and equality\u201d that is taking place – \u201ceven in countries that once championed them<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n The US has seen a significant about-turn in these areas in 2025, with President Donald Trump<\/a> announcing his intention to pull his country out from key climate treaty, the Paris Agreement<\/a>, targeting DEI initiatives in the public sector<\/a>, and deploying troops to a number of Democrat-run cities on questionable grounds<\/a>. <\/p>\n Ms Al-Nashif also warned of the \u201ccrushing levels of debt<\/a>\u201d faced by countries as well as the big drop in overseas aid faced<\/a> by the world\u2019s least developed countries. <\/p>\n Ms Al-Nashif was speaking at a session of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development in Geneva, which is a body that meets to discuss best global practices in the pursuit of the \u201cRight to Development\u201d: a human right adopted by the UN in 1986, that recognises every human being\u2019s right for constant improvement in their well-being. <\/p>\n Despite her grime assessment, Ms Al-Nashif said there is still a path forward. She noted, for example, how a clear majority of leaders at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) <\/a>in September showed support for human rights, for multilateralism, and for international law. \u201cThey called for a return to the values of the UN Charter, and for revitalized cooperation anchored in global solidarity,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n This year\u2019s UNGA also saw President Trump provide blistering attack on everything from migration to those pushing the climate agenda, telling countries including close ally the UK: \u201cYou\u2019re all going to hell<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n