New Delhi: Human Rights Watch has warned that the global human rights system is facing one of its gravest challenges in decades, urging rights-respecting democracies to form a strategic alliance to protect fundamental freedoms and the rules-based international order.
In its World Report 2026, released on Tuesday, the rights organisation said growing authoritarianism, combined with actions by the United States, China and Russia, is weakening international mechanisms designed to safeguard human rights. The 529-page report reviews human rights practices in more than 100 countries and marks the 36th edition of the annual assessment by Human Rights Watch.
In the report’s introductory essay, Human Rights Watch Executive Director Philippe Bolopion said breaking the global authoritarian wave has become a “challenge of a generation”. He argued that recent actions by the administration of US President Donald Trump have severely undermined human rights protections, both domestically and internationally.
According to the report, the Trump administration has weakened democratic institutions by attacking judicial independence, undermining election integrity, restricting free speech, and curtailing protections for women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ communities. Human Rights Watch also cited policies such as deportations to countries where individuals may face torture, and the use of state power to intimidate political opponents, media, universities and civil society groups.
The organisation said these developments, coupled with long-standing efforts by China and Russia to dilute international norms, have placed enormous strain on the global human rights framework.
Bolopion said the US retreat from multilateralism has had far-reaching consequences. The administration has withdrawn from key international institutions, including the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Paris Climate Agreement, and sharply reduced foreign aid that supported humanitarian assistance worldwide. These moves, the report said, have weakened global efforts to prevent mass atrocities and uphold accountability for serious crimes.
Human Rights Watch also highlighted ongoing conflicts where international protections have faltered. In Ukraine, it said US peace efforts have downplayed Russia’s responsibility for grave violations. In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the organisation accused Israeli forces of committing crimes against humanity and said global responses have been inconsistent, even as international courts examine allegations of genocide.
Despite the grim assessment, the report argues that a coordinated response remains possible. Human Rights Watch called on democracies from across regions to form a broad alliance capable of defending international institutions, conditioning trade and security partnerships on respect for rights, and acting as a strong voting bloc within the United Nations system.
Such an alliance, the organisation said, should support independent human rights mechanisms, protect civil society space, and promote democratic norms even when facing resistance from powerful states.
Bolopion stressed that public mobilisation remains critical. He said civil society movements, voters and international institutions will play a decisive role in countering authoritarianism and protecting vulnerable communities.
“Breaking the authoritarian wave and standing up for human rights is a generational challenge,” he said, warning that developments in the United States in 2026 could have lasting global consequences.
