Geneva, February 23, 2026 — In a powerful opening to the 61st session of the Human Rights Council , UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk didn't mince words. Addressing a world fractured by "fierce competition for power," Türk’s speech was part global alert, part manifesto for a new era of grassroots justice. A Return to "Supremacy" Türk warned that we are seeing a "normalized" use of force and a resurgence of "domination and supremacy" at levels unseen for 80 years. From the devastating conflicts in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine to the "survival mode" of the UN itself due to funding cuts, the message was clear: the international rules-based order is under a full-scale assault. The Power of the Mothers: Sri Lanka to Argentina One of the most moving segments of the address was Türk’s tribute to the Mothers of the Disappeared in Sri Lanka . He used their long-standing struggle as the ultimate proof that the demand for dignity...