Decline of Rights in 2025: Conflict, Aid Cuts, Democratic Backsliding — 2026 World Report Asia Release

Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2026 exposes the human rights situation in nearly 100 countries worldwide over the past year.

At the Bangkok event, Human Rights Watch will report on the serious downward slide in human rights across Asia as well as regional trends of rising authoritarianism, transnational repression, violations of media freedom, shrinking civic space; and civilians caught in armed conflict.

This past year saw still no accountability for crimes against humanity in China, Myanmar, and North Korea; the human rights and humanitarian catastrophe worsen in Afghanistan; conflict-related abuses in Thailand-Cambodia and Afghanistan-Pakistan; and the weakening of democratic institutions in India and Pakistan.

As protest movements seek to oust governments for right violations, mismanagement and corruption, voters will go to the polls in Nepal, Bangladesh and elsewhere to determine their future, but sham elections in Myanmar and Hong Kong only serve to deprive people of their basic rights.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has abandoned the human rights commitments of the United States, decimated the country’s aid budget, and stopped taking in most refugees.

Join us on Thursday February 5, 10.30am in the FCCT clubhouse, or via Facebook live, to hear from Human Rights Watch experts:

Elaine Pearson, Asia director

Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director

Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director

Sunai Phasuk, senior Thailand advisor

Moderator: Phil Robertson, FCCT board member

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