"Global Decline in Human Rights: 2023-2024 Report Highlights Authoritarian Weaponization"

The human rights system is facing significant challenges in 2024, with governments showing selective outrage and engaging in transactional diplomacy that undermines the universal principles of international human rights and the rule of law. Despite ongoing human rights and humanitarian crises in various regions, there have been some positive developments, such as the adoption of a political declaration to protect civilians from the use of explosive weapons in armed conflict and advancements in the rights of marginalized communities in countries like Japan, Nepal, and Mexico. However, the lack of consistent and principled human rights leadership from governments, coupled with transactional diplomacy, continues to perpetuate human rights abuses and erode the legitimacy of the international human rights framework.