An Overview of the State of Human Rights on Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day, observed every year on December 10th, marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948 a document that, in the aftermath of the devastating consequences of World War II, atomic bombings, and the economic depression, promised a world founded on respect for the fundamental rights of every human being. However, more than seven decades after this event, human rights violations and collective crimes against humanity continue across the world. This year, António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, confronted the world with a bitter reality in his message for this day. He stated that human rights are still being violated in many parts of the world. Guterres emphasized that tens of millions of people are still trapped in the cycles of poverty, hunger, and lack of access to education and healthcare, while many have not yet recovered from the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also referred to the deepening inequalities, escalating conflicts, and the intentional disregard of international laws, warning that the undermining of one human right can overshadow all others. Over the past year, human rights violations have intensified in many countries around the world. In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, events following October 7, 2023, became one of the most catastrophic chapters of this struggle. Fifteen months of continuous bombardment of residential areas, schools, and hospitals by the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip have resulted in the deaths of over 45,000 people, 34% of whom were children under the age of 14. This violence has turned Gaza into an uninhabitable region, earning it the nickname "the mass grave of children." Israel, which had previously been accused of genocide and war crimes by the UN Special Rapporteur and several countries, was condemned by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on November 21, 2024, and arrest warrants were issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
In Afghanistan, with the return of the Taliban to power, widespread human rights violations, particularly concerning women and girls, continue unabated. They are deprived of the right to education, work, and basic freedoms. In Myanmar, severe human rights violations, including crimes against humanity, killings, arbitrary detentions, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, led the ICC prosecutor to issue an arrest warrant on November 27, 2024, for Min Aung Hlaing, the commander of Myanmar’s military forces, for crimes against the Rohingya minority and the forced displacement of over 700,000 people to Bangladesh.
Human rights violations continue in many areas around the world. Even in countries like the United States and European nations, where there is a higher expectation for the protection of human rights, these rights are not fully respected. With the rise of right-wing forces in Europe and the victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential elections, concerns about the deterioration of human rights in these countries have grown. The current state of human rights worldwide highlights the urgent need for collective and serious action. Armed conflicts, political ambitions, racism, discrimination, xenophobia, genocide, and climate change continue to exacerbate the vulnerability of societies. Today, a quarter of the world’s population lives in conflict zones, caught in cycles of suffering and devastation caused by the erosion of respect for international laws. Unfortunately, some countries that consider themselves defenders of human rights are not only exacerbating violations through the politicization of these valuable principles, but they are also undermining the credibility of the human rights framework. This practice, particularly in some Western countries, has become one of the key factors in the escalation of current crises.
In such circumstances, human rights organizations must strengthen their monitoring efforts and attract more financial and political support for the defense of the rights of victims. The global community also shares a collective responsibility to prevent the escalation of crises and ensure justice and accountability. The way forward requires vigilance against hypocrisy and the politicization of human rights to reaffirm the universality and indivisibility of these principles and preserve the human rights framework as the cornerstone of global peace and security.
This report only reflects a portion of the existing challenges. Addressing these issues with unwavering commitment is not only a moral duty but also a prerequisite for building a more just world and guaranteeing dignity and justice for all human beings.