The international organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has published its 2023 World Report, which covers the various cases of human rights violations that have occurred in different countries in recent years, as well as the actions that nations need to take to correct those that have the defense endanger human rights.
HRW is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization dedicated to investigating, analyzing and reporting cases of human rights violations in different countries, compiling all this information in an annual report that is published in country-divided sections on its official website.
Regarding Chile, HRW’s report highlighted some key issues that urgently need to be addressed, including police reform, protecting migrants and refugees and improving access to abortion. On the other hand, it points out that Chile, as part of the UN Human Rights Council, must have its principles as the basis of its foreign policy and lead regional responses to human rights abuses committed around the world.
March for the 2019 social outburst in Chile.The section of the HRW report devoted to Chile discusses the various events that have happened in the country in 2022.
The report referred to the constitutive process and all its phases, stretching from the social outburst in 2019 to the present, where after several months, the reform that will allow for a second process has been launched. On the one hand, the causes of the outbreak were mentioned and the excessive use of force by the carabineros was emphasized. Regarding the process, the institutional system that promoted gender equality and indigenous participation within the Constitutional Convention was highlighted. Finally, the victory of rejection in the 2022 referendum and the discussion between the executive and the parties to generate a new constitutional process are mentioned.
Regarding the police reform, HRW commented on the various cases of abuse and excessive use of force by the Carabineros against protesters and detainees in 2019. They mention that certain reforms related to transparency have been applied to the institution, but that they have its disciplinary regime cannot be solved by pointing out the far-reaching powers of officials in detention cases, which according to official statements are used in a discriminatory manner. At the same time, the document reveals the establishment by President Gabriel Boric of a commission to bring about the reform of the Carabineros, which includes a focus on respect for human rights, gender parity, transparency and efficiency.
The section on migration reported shortcomings in migration policies, including Supreme Court rulings, and the difficulty of obtaining visas or refuge within the country. On the other hand, reference is made to the law passed in 2022, which stipulated that entering the country illegally is not a criminal offence. Within the migration issues, the cases of mass displacement between 2018 and 2022, during the tenure of former President Sebastián Piñera, which ended during the Boric government, together with the crisis that hit northern Chile in 2021 and 2022, were reported with the resulting ones protests and xenophobic attacks.
The issue of abortion was an aspect highlighted in the section on the rights of women and girls, where the adoption of the abortion law was reported on 3 grounds, while at the same time pointing out the obstacles imposed by health centers, including restrictive interpretations and the refusal of at least 50% of obstetricians to perform an abortion because of ethical and/or religious issues. In addition, 35 cases of femicide reported by the Chilean network against violence against women were uncovered in 2022, compared to the 29 cases registered by the government. As a detail to be highlighted, they discussed President Boric’s initiative to form a cabinet with gender parity.
Regarding the rights of LGBTIQ+ people, HRW reported on the passage of the law allowing civil marriage, adoption and assisted reproduction for same-sex couples. However, the Fundación Iguales pointed out that the procedures for these processes are problematic and too lengthy.
The reforms of SENAME and the future implementation of the National Youth Social Reintegration Service were the aspects that stood out in the Girls’ and Boys’ Rights section as a solution to the numerous complaints of sexual exploitation and abuse that have occurred on SENAME’s premises., below to whom HRW proposes a specialized justice system for minors. Elsewhere, the report denounced that during the pandemic, an online learning product called Aprendo en Línea, developed by the Ministry of Education, used an invasive technique that collected children’s personal information and sent it to a tech company
2022 has seen a “litany of human rights crises,” but there have also been new opportunities to strengthen protections from violations, Human Rights Watch said in its annual global report on human rights in more than 100 countries and territories.
In Ukraine, the war and the Russian invasion were the most important events during the year. The organization reported extensively on the various attacks by the Russian army, the situation of Ukrainian refugees in various European countries, pointing to the double standards of these nations regarding the treatment of Ukrainian refugees as opposed to Afghans and Syrians, and most importantly, the deaths of civilians due to armed conflicts, both through the bombing of infrastructure and inhabited places, and through illegal executions by the Russian army.
In Afghanistan, after the Taliban came to power, women’s rights were drastically curtailed, according to HRW reports. Measures taken by the government include banning women from studying, entering university or working, in addition to requiring face and body coverings. On the other hand, a lack of freedom of expression is reported, which is reflected in the persecution of independent media and journalists in the country.
Regarding America, the reports on El Salvador report on the human rights abuses promoted by the government of Nayib Bukele, which, in addition to the dismantling of various democratic organizations, has also allowed acts such as enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment in detention centers. .
In Venezuela, in connection with the humanitarian crisis that the population is going through, the investigation carried out by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan was reported, which also included data on possible crimes against humanity committed by the government of Nicolás Maduro them find arrests of political opponents, assassinations and torture by military units.
In Argentina, in addition to the deep economic crisis, there are conflicts related to cases of police abuse, poor conditions in prisons and cases of corruption in the executive branch, which together with the hostile attitude towards the independent press have created tensions and a polarized political climate, according to HRW- Reports that led to cases like the attempted assassination of Vice President Cristina Kirchner in 2022.
In China, increasing attention from the United Nations and other bodies to the treatment of Uyghurs and Turkish Muslims in the Xinjiang region has “put Beijing on the defensive” internationally, HRW said, while national protests against the government’s strict “Covid Zero” protocol have also included a broader criticism of President Xi Jinping’s rule.
The New York-based group highlighted protests that erupted in Iran in mid-September following the death of Mahsa Amini after she was arrested by the Islamic Republic’s morality police for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code. “Iran’s autocracy rules with what it has left: brute force,” the NGO said in its report, which details the deaths of at least 341 protesters, including 52 children.
Not even the US escapes criticism from HRW. Joe Biden’s administration has made slow progress on human rights in 2022, but bolder action is needed to reduce systemic racism, reverse reproductive freedom backlash, and address other pressing human rights issues such as poverty and suffrage, Human Rights Watch noted in its 2023 World Report.