The Human Rights Watch World Report 2026 warns that as democracy weakens and authoritarianism rises, corruption, illicit financial flows, and abuse of power are gaining ground globally

The report highlights widespread abuses across multiple regions including repression of women and girls in Afghanistan, ongoing civilian harm in conflicts such as Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine, and increasing restrictions on civil society, media freedom, and minority rights worldwide. It also warns that the global rules-based order is under strain, but emphasizes that civil society movements, democratic alliances, and public accountability efforts remain essential to protecting human rights and sustaining democratic values…