UN human rights chief urges against dehumanizing migrants and refugees
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said in an interview that migration, climate change, and the erosion of international law are interconnected challenges that must be addressed through a human rights lens, warning against the dehumanization of refugees and migrants.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, in an interview with France 24, argued that contemporary global challenges such as migration, climate change, nationality issues, and the weakening of international institutions are not separate policy areas but interconnected manifestations of a broader crisis of solidarity, legality, and political responsibility.
Türk emphasized that discussions on immigration, asylum seekers, and climate responsibility should be grounded in universal principles based on international law, empirical evidence, and shared humanity. He called for resisting the tendency to dehumanize migrants and refugees, noting that societies become more stable when they uphold universal rights and reject dehumanization.
At the same time, the human rights chief warned that political polarization, environmental degradation, and the erosion of multilateral institutions risk undermining the legal and moral framework designed to protect future generations. He urged people to see the other as a human being rather than treat migrants and refugees as threats.
