The United Nations human rights office is appealing for $253 million to pay for projects to stop the global spread of xenophobia, racial and religious discrimination and other violations. The money will be used to train government, judicial and political officials about human rights principles. UN spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the appeal was urgent now because many human rights laws are being ignored in countries all over the world. "There were human rights laws and principles that we took for granted, that states voluntarily signed on to that are now being questioned," Shamdasani said.