Righting Wrongs
Three Decades Leading Human Rights WatchSelect a format:
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Summary
In three decades under the leadership of Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch conducted investigations in 100 countries to uncover abuses – and pressured offending governments to stop them. Roth has grappled with the worst of humanity, taken on the most ruthless oppressors of our time, and persuaded leaders from around the globe to stand up to their repressive counterparts.
The son of a Jew who fled Nazi Germany just before the war began, Roth grew up knowing full well how inhumane governments could be. He has traveled the world to meet cruelty and injustice on its home turf: he arrived in Rwanda shortly after the genocide; scrutinized the impact of Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait; investigated and condemned Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinians. He directed efforts to curtail the Chinese government’s persecution of Uyghur Muslims, to bring Myanmar’s officials to justice after the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, to halt Russian war crimes in Ukraine, even to rein in the U.S. government. Roth’s many innovations and strategies included the deployment of a concept as old as mankind – the powerful tool of ‘shaming’ – and here he illustrates its surprising effectiveness against evildoers.
This is a story of wins, losses, and ongoing battles in the ceaseless fight for a more decent world.
The son of a Jew who fled Nazi Germany just before the war began, Roth grew up knowing full well how inhumane governments could be. He has traveled the world to meet cruelty and injustice on its home turf: he arrived in Rwanda shortly after the genocide; scrutinized the impact of Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait; investigated and condemned Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinians. He directed efforts to curtail the Chinese government’s persecution of Uyghur Muslims, to bring Myanmar’s officials to justice after the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, to halt Russian war crimes in Ukraine, even to rein in the U.S. government. Roth’s many innovations and strategies included the deployment of a concept as old as mankind – the powerful tool of ‘shaming’ – and here he illustrates its surprising effectiveness against evildoers.
This is a story of wins, losses, and ongoing battles in the ceaseless fight for a more decent world.
Reviews
If human rights are considered the most essential quality of human existence, then this book represents a lifetime devoted to the fight for those rights – a testament to the thoughts and experiences of a truly courageous individual. It offers a deeply insightful analysis of the global state of human rights, while also serving as a practical guide for action, aiming to inspire tangible change. This book is vibrant, passionate, and alive with purpose. It combines wisdom with a powerful idealistic spirit, making it highly relevant in today's complex political landscape, where the struggle for dignity and the rights inherent to life continue to have profound significance.
Ai Weiwei