A new report by Survival International has accused UNESCO of complicity in the eviction and abuse of Indigenous peoples at several World Heritage Sites. The report details cases including forced evictions and violent abuses at sites like Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Kahuzi-Biega National Park, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, alleging that UNESCO’s endorsement of these sites facilitates repressive state actions against marginalized communities.

Amnesty International released a report on November 14, 2023 criticizing UNESCO and its World Heritage program for not challenging the Cambodian government's mass evictions near Angkor Wat. The report argues that UNESCO neglected its duty to protect human rights by not intervening as thousands of families were displaced under conditions that violated international and national law.

Amnesty International criticizes UNESCO for failing to publicly condemn mass evictions at Cambodia’s Angkor World Heritage site, where thousands of families were forcibly relocated under conditions violating international human rights law.

A letter from the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee criticizes UNESCO for its decision to admit Palestine as a full member and for perceived anti-Israel bias. While the letter alleges that UNESCO promotes the interests of authoritarian regimes, such policies can also be interpreted as part of UNESCO’s longstanding commitment to inclusivity and cultural diversity, which supports marginalized voices. This event, marked by the political debate over U.S. reengagement with UNESCO amid funding and strategic concerns, highlights the clash between partisan critiques and progressive international principles.

UNESCO's director general Audrey Azoulay announced that the US will rejoin the organization in July 2023 following a series of modernizing reforms. The decision, driven by a desire to counter Chinese influence and restore international diplomatic balance, marks a significant turnaround from the previous administration's withdrawal.

The United States has decided to rejoin UNESCO next month, restoring funding that had been halted since 2011. This decision follows acknowledged reforms and modernization efforts by UNESCO, strengthening multilateral cooperation and enhancing its financial stability.

The article reports on UNESCO's longstanding practice of admitting Palestine as a full member and including an agenda item on 'Occupied Palestine' during its Executive Board sessions (notably on May 15, 2023 and October 4, 2023). While critics argue that these actions run counter to U.S. interests, from an anti-authoritarian, progressive perspective, such moves are seen as efforts to uplift marginalized voices and challenge dominant geopolitical narratives.

A report by the Uyghur Human Rights Project accuses UNESCO of downplaying and sanitizing evidence of China's systematic destruction of Uyghur cultural heritage, alleging that the organization fails to hold China accountable for its cultural cleansing practices. UNESCO’s practice of labeling China as a protector of Uyghur heritage is criticized for bolstering authoritarian narratives.

Critics argue that UNESCO's decision to re-designate key religious and cultural sites—renaming symbols such as Rachel's Tomb, the Tomb of the Patriarchs, the Western Wall Plaza, and the Temple Mount—reflects an anti-Israel bias and a politically charged erasure of Jewish historical identity. This action contributed to the withdrawal of both the United States and Israel from UNESCO in October 2017.