Human Rights Watch (HRW) released its annual World Report 2025 on January 16, 2025, presenting on the challenges to human rights worldwide in 2024. The 546-page report, covering human rights practices in over 100 countries, drew attention to weakened democratic institutions, ongoing violations of humanitarian law, and the human toll of major global conflicts.

HRW highlighted the severe impact of the conflicts in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine and emphasized the failure of governments and international organizations to address the crises. In Gaza, HRW noted war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israeli authorities and the military support of the Western nations. Another focus was Sudan’s ongoing violence, particularly in Darfur. HRW condemned “grossly inadequate” global action in response to ethnic cleansing and mass killings.

The report also addressed human rights abuses beyond the active conflict zones, such as Afghanistan and China. It documented intensified restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, including new issues concerning medical education and China’s continued repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, including mass imprisonments.

Electoral shifts and challenges to democracy were a major issue in the report. HRW expressed concerns over the rise of far-right parties in Europe and Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency. At the same time, it acknowledged some democratic victories, such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s failure to secure an electoral majority and the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government.

The report also highlighted the role of resistance movements and activism against ongoing human rights violations. In Bangladesh, protests led to the resignation of long-term leader Sheikh Hasina and in South Korea, lawmakers overturned a presidential martial law decree within hours of its issuance. HRW also praised governments for bringing cases on international law violations to international courts, including South Africa's case against Israel.

RW’s Executive Director Tirana Hassan criticized governments for failing to uphold human rights standards consistently. However, she also emphasized the opportunity to reinforce human rights as a cornerstone in global governance.