The 2025 Annual Report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) offers a rather grim outlook on the global human rights situation. It addresses the systematic violations and humanitarian crises affecting over 100 countries, showing how, instead of improving, the human rights crisis continues its course, and in some cases, even worsens with the resurgence of a new international disorder.
From the perspective of Human Rights Global House and the D Institute (HRGH/DInstitute), 2024 was a particularly conflict-ridden year regarding the defense of human rights. In a world marked by multiple armed conflicts and the violation of fundamental rights, the consequences for the civilian population are becoming increasingly severe. HRW’s report highlights a concerning trend: most governments have failed to meet their obligation to protect human rights.
One of HRW’s key conclusions is clear:
“Governments should respect and defend universal human rights with more rigor and urgency than ever, and people and civil society need to remain steadfast in holding them accountable.”(HRW report)
This underscores the urgent need for governments to strengthen the protection of human rights, while civil society must continue to pressure authorities to be accountable. For HRW, collaborating with civil society organizations committed to defending and promoting human rights is essential in addressing ongoing violations.
Regarding global violations, the report points out the alarming number of countries where democracy is at serious risk due to the constant violation of human rights. These include Russia, the United States, China, India, El Salvador, nations of the Sahel such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Venezuela, and more than 120 countries where the use of disinformation, racist and xenophobic rhetoric, and the fear of retaliation has led to an increasingly silent society. Governments’ promises of change, many of which are marked by corruption, are nothing more than lies designed to buy time and maintain regimes of persecution and terror.
The report also highlights the situation in Gaza, where Israel’s actions are condemned for failing to comply with international law. The report documents violations committed by Israel, including illegal attacks, forced displacements, and depriving people of access to drinking water, which constitutes a crime against humanity and could even be considered genocide. The international response to these crimes has been sparse, except for the International Criminal Court, which accused the Israeli prime minister of being responsible for crimes against humanity. However, the response from Israel’s traditional allies has been limited, while support in other sectors, like arms sales, continues.
The war in Ukraine, in its third year, continues to leave the civilian population in a desperate situation. Attacks on hospitals and schools continue, while international powers like the European Union and the United States insist that Russia must be held accountable for the crimes committed. However, the international community has failed to establish a clear roadmap to ensure justice and protection for the affected civilians.
In Syria, the recent past has been marked by severe human rights violations, especially by the regime of Bashar al-Assad, supported by powers like Russia. Over the years, countless atrocities were committed, which, though denounced by various organizations, were downplayed under the excuse of combating radical Islamic groups. The fall of the regime, now focused on the war in Ukraine, has exposed the scale of these crimes. Syria’s future remains uncertain, and the international community has yet to find an effective solution for the country
The report also raises HRW’s concerns about U.S. foreign policy, especially with Donald Trump’s rise to power. His belligerent stance and proposals for a second administration could further worsen the global human rights situation. This could empower authoritarian and anti-democratic leaders who, inspired by Trump’s policies, may seek to consolidate regimes that ignore human rights.
The European Union faces significant challenges in defending human rights as well. With the rise of far-right regimes in various countries, the EU’s political rhetoric has shifted, linking the fight against migrant, asylum seeker, and refugee rights to the need for “economic recovery.” This trend weakens the core human rights values that have historically been pillars of the continent.
The 2025 Report from Human Rights Watch does not give much cause for immediate optimism, but it provides a clear roadmap for what civil society, governments, and multilateral organizations must do to reverse the growing global dehumanization. In order for human rights, which have been hard-won over decades, to remain effective, we must strengthen collective responses and demand the protection of human dignity worldwide.
This report urges us to reflect on the future of human rights and to continue fighting for a world where justice and humanity prevail.
