UNGA 81: Human Rights, International Law and the Future of Multilateralism
From 22 to 28 September 2026, world leaders gathered in New York for the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), held as part of the 2026 United Nations High-Level Week. Under the theme “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that responds to the needs of all”, the session was marked by persistent armed conflicts and deepening geopolitical divisions, placing international law, human rights and the effectiveness of the multilateral system at the centre of the international agenda.
Opening the general debate, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, argued that global challenges cannot be analysed in isolation. Referring to armed conflict, inequality, climate change and artificial intelligence, he warned: “These are not isolated crises, but chapters of the same story: the story of power”. He thus linked these challenges to a central question: who holds power, how it is exercised and how it can be constrained, asking whether it will be governed by law or by force, and by cooperation or by coercion.
This question is particularly relevant from a human rights perspective. In the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan and Myanmar, civilians continue to face violence, displacement and restricted access to essential services and humanitarian assistance. Guterres therefore urged States to uphold the Charter of the United Nations “without double standards”, to protect civilians without exception and to demand accountability “without fear or favour”. His words highlight a central challenge: the credibility of international law depends not only on the existence of shared norms, but also on their consistent application.
One of the clearest examples was the situation in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. While condemning the Hamas attacks of 7 October, Guterres described what followed as “an onslaught on the Palestinian population of Gaza”. He also recalled the legally binding provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice, and stressed that “all parties must abide by international law and the orders of the Court”. He further warned that violence, displacement and the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank continue to undermine the two-State solution.
Before the General Assembly, the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, reaffirmed his support for a two-State solution and emphasised international law, self-determination and the rejection of displacement. Abbas stated that “the Palestinian people will not accept displacement” and that “there can be no lasting security based on the occupation of another people and the denial of their legitimate rights”.
Divisions over the conflict were also visible during the address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Dozens of delegates walked out of the General Assembly Hall as his speech began. Netanyahu presented Israel’s military actions as self-defence following the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza and maintained that Israel had taken steps to limit harm to civilians.
The circumstances of both addresses also raised questions of access and accountability within the international system. For the second consecutive year, the United States denied visas to Abbas and members of the Palestinian delegation,leading the Assembly to authorise his participation by means of a pre-recorded statement. Netanyahu, by contrast, travelled to New York despite remaining subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in November 2024 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Although the two situations are legally distinct, the contrast brought into focus access, accountability and the credibility of international institutions.
Beyond specific conflicts, the General Debate also highlighted the effectiveness and legitimacy of the multilateral system. Closing the debate, the President of the General Assembly, Khalilur Rahman, stressed that restoring trust requires consistency, equal application of international law, accountability and representation. Calls for reform also focused on the Security Council, whose composition continues to reflect the order that emerged after the Second World War. Both Rahman and Guterres pointed to the absence of permanent African representation on the Council as evidence of the need for reform.
The 81st session of the General Assembly revealed both the importance and the limitations of multilateral cooperation. The General Debate showed that international law and human rights remain fundamental reference points even in highly polarised contexts. Their credibility, however, depends on consistent application, effective accountability and institutions capable of responding effectively. As Guterres noted, “the United Nations exists because the exercise of power must be governed by rules”. Restoring trust in those rules remains one of the main challenges facing the United Nations.
Simon Vassal, collaborator at FIBGAR
