A new report from Human Rights Watch criticizes Western democracies, including the United States, the UK, and the EU, for failing to uphold their human rights commitments. The report highlights instances of double standards and inaction in situations like the Gaza conflict and the civil war in Sudan.
Leading democracies have failed to live up to their claims of championing human rights around the world, according to the head of Human Rights Watch (HRW). Tirana Hassan criticized Western capitals for their double standards and inaction in 2024, highlighting their failure to address atrocities committed by allies and their support of perpetrators. Hassan specifically pointed to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where Western powers continued to arm Israel despite mounting evidence of war crimes.
She also criticized the international community's response to the crisis in Sudan, where the UN Security Council and governments failed to take meaningful action to curb the violence and the support provided by the UAE to the Rapid Support Forces, the main perpetrator of atrocities. The HRW annual report also raises concerns about the potential for a resurgence of human rights violations under a second Trump presidency in the United States. Hassan argues that Trump's previous administration's record on human rights was deeply troubling and that a return to power could signal a decline in global human rights protections. She also criticized the Biden administration for its support of Israel's military actions in Gaza and its perceived hypocrisy on international justice. In light of this perceived abdication of responsibility by traditional power players, Hassan urges the world to look to alternative sources of inspiration for human rights advocacy. She cites examples like South Africa's efforts to bring a genocide case over Gaza to the International Court of Justice; student-led protests that ended an authoritarian regime in Bangladesh; and mass protests that toppled a repressive government in another country. Hassan maintains that despite the challenges, there is hope for progress on human rights. She emphasizes that when traditional actors fail, non-traditional actors, including individuals, civil society organizations, and even countries outside the Western sphere, often step up to fill the void and champion the rights of those most in need
Human Rights Watch Western Democracies Human Rights Gaza Conflict Sudan Civil War International Law Atrocities Double Standards
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