United Nations and the Human Rights Regime: Everyday Realities and Necessities
- Minority Issues Research Institute (MIRI)
- Dec 30, 2025
- 4 min read
Summary of the MIRI Seminar on Current Affairs which featured a conversation with Sir Charles Petrie Bt, OBE (Human Security Consultant, FR), about the current state of the United Nations as the pillar of the global human rights structure and was held on December 12, 2025.
The latest MIRI Seminar on Current Affairs, which celebrated International Human Rights Day, was dedicated to the United Nations (UN) and the human rights regime. The seminar focused on discussing the current state and challenges of the United Nations, with a former senior UN official, Sir Charles Petrie Bt, OBE (Human Security Consultant, FR), who shared insights on the UN's roles, limitations, and potential for reform.
The discussion was part of a monthly series of MIRI Seminars on Current Affairs organized by the Minority Issues Research Institute (MIRI), focusing on international affairs and their impact on societies and minorities. Participants of the seminar explored how local communities and grassroots efforts have shown extraordinary solidarity in protecting human rights during crises, while emphasizing the importance of leveraging existing institutions and new generations of activists. The discussion concluded with conversations about empowering local communities, addressing state fragmentation, and the need for the UN to share more powerful stories to engage the public.
UN’s Role in Global Human Rights: Main Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects
Sir Charles Petrie (Human Security Consultant, FR) and Dr Mirsad Kriještorac (Minority Issues Research Institute-MIRI, SK), who moderated the seminar, discussed the current state of the United Nations, highlighting its lack of enforcement capacity and the decline of the rule-based order established after World War II. Sir Charles Petrie was invited to speak about the challenges facing the UN and the human rights regime due to his former position in the UN and extensive experience in conflict zones.
The seminar focused on discussing the current state of the United Nations and its role in upholding global human rights norms. Sir Charles Petrie spoke about the challenges facing the organization, including its declining influence and the rise of state-led violence against stateless populations. The current state and challenges of the United Nations were inspected, highlighting, by Sir Charles Petrie, its three main roles as a convener, rule-setter, and service provider. The discussion showed the need for multilateral cooperation to address these issues and the importance of the UN as a pillar of the global human rights structure.
Global Politics and International Cooperation
The current state of global politics and the effectiveness of international institutions like the United Nations were debated as well. Sir Charles Petrie noted that the UN is under strain due to a lack of political will among member states, the erosion of consensus on international rules, and budget cuts affecting its service delivery. Dr Mirsad Kriještorac expressed concern about the current political climate, comparing it to the 1930s, and asked about the potential for sub-state levels to influence international cooperation. Sir Charles Petrie agreed that the situation is grim but emphasized the importance of working with existing institutions and leveraging new generations of activists. They discussed the potential for using existing legislation and resolutions to build a path forward, acknowledging the need to confront reality rather than delude themselves into thinking things are better than they are.
UN's Liquidity Crisis: Rethinking Approach
Dr Lilija Alijeva FHEA (Presidential Fellow, The City Law School, City St George’s, University of London) asked whether the UN liquidity crisis mostly affects human rights programs or other functions like maritime and aviation. Sir Charles Petrie explained that while the crisis affects service delivery in humanitarian, development, and human rights areas, it presents an opportunity for the UN to rethink its approach by shifting towards local empowerment and support rather than interventionist methods.
UN's Role in Evolving Global Order
The discussion of the seminar further continued on the evolving global order and the role of the United Nations in addressing state fragmentation and human rights. Sir Charles Petrie highlighted how fragmented states can lead to local governance structures rather than necessarily resulting in balkanization, and emphasized the need to shift from a traditional Westphalian view of governance to a federal structure that accommodates autonomous regions. The conversation also touched on China's increasing engagement with the UN and the potential for a new world order, while Dr Svetluša Surová (Minority Issues Research Institute-MIRI, SK) raised questions about empowering citizens in powerless situations and the balance between individual and community rights.
UN's Failures and Successes
Sir Charles Petrie shared his extensive experience with the United Nations, highlighting both its failures and successes, particularly in Rwanda and Myanmar. He talked about the importance of local actors in upholding human rights and described inspiring stories of grassroots efforts, including the Muslim community's refusal to participate in Rwanda's violence and Generation Z activists in Myanmar seeking a fundamental transformation of their state. Dr Mirsad Kriještorac and Mike Skersies (Engaged Citizen from Germany) discussed the need for the UN to share more powerful stories to engage the public, with Charles agreeing that while the UN is not a fairy tale, it is a collective belief that must be maintained.
Conclusion: Strengthening the UN's Global Impact
The speaker and participants of the seminar agreed on the importance of influencing member states at the national level to strengthen the UN's impact, noting that social media has made this easier compared to the past. The discussion also touched on the situation in Myanmar, with Stephan Paul Jost highlighting the lack of humanitarian attention and the need to support emerging local structures, while Sir Charles Petrie spoke about the importance of understanding different governance structures on a case-by-case basis. As well, different cultural perspectives on rights and justice were explored.
The seminar concluded that the UN is severely weakened but remains the best available framework for international cooperation and that ways should be found to empower local governance structures and community initiatives, as well as to help younger generations of activists translate their energy into effective action.
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