International Desk, Apr 24 (EFE).- There have been alarming trends of widespread rights abuses, particularly in armed conflicts, with warring sides treating civilians as “expendables,” Amnesty International’s latest report has found.
The report released on Wednesday highlights egregious violations committed by states and armed groups, including unlawful attacks, killings, and crackdowns on freedoms.
According to the findings, one of the major concerns has been the treatment of civilians in armed conflicts.
“The breaking and bending of international humanitarian law, also known as the laws of war, has had devastating consequences for civilians,” said the report.
“In many conflicts, government forces have relied on long-range ground and air attacks using weapons with wide-area effects against populated areas.”
Such attacks have “contributed significantly to mass civilian casualties and extensive destruction of homes and infrastructure,” said the report.
The report cited examples from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Myanmar’s military attacks, and Sudan’s targeted assaults, leading to thousands of deaths and millions of people displaced.
The report notes that the Israeli authorities had “made a mockery” of international humanitarian law by claiming that Israel has “made particular efforts to frame the attacks that they have carried out on Gaza as complying with global legal norms.
The relentless Israeli bombardment and ground offensive in Gaza have reportedly killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, a third of whom were children.
“Evidence of war crimes mounted as Israeli forces bombed crowded refugee camps and residential buildings, repeatedly wiping out entire families and destroying hospitals, UN-run schools, bakeries and other crucial infrastructure,” the report said.
The report emphasizes the role of racism in fueling conflicts and shaping responses to them.
In particular, it condemns Israel’s apartheid system against Palestinians and discriminatory practices in other conflict zones.
Amnesty International also criticized multilateral institutions for their failure to effectively address conflicts and uphold international humanitarian law.
It cited the UN Security Council’s paralysis and the inconsistent record of the UN Human Rights Council as major concerns regarding the rights situation.
The report highlights the lack of accountability for crimes under international law and selective prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
The report notes a concerning backlash against the rights of women, girls, and LGBTI people, with many governments undermining sexual and reproductive rights and failing to tackle gender-based violence.
Examples include restrictions on education and employment for women in Afghanistan and Iran and the criminalization of abortion in several countries.
“All governments should support gender justice and allied movements to tackle discrimination against women and reinforce sexual and reproductive rights,” the report urged.
The report underscores the disproportionate impact of economic crises, climate change, and environmental degradation on marginalized communities across the world.
It highlights how the crises have exacerbated food and fuel insecurity, hindered progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, and deepened national indebtedness, particularly in low-income countries.
According to the report, economic shocks have pushed many countries into severe debt distress, with a significant portion of their budgets allocated to debt repayments instead of fulfilling human rights obligations.
It cited the World Bank report of December 2023, saying about 60 percent of the world’s low-income countries were either in or at high risk of debt distress.
“Many more were spending vast sums of money, which they needed to fulfill human rights, on growing debt repayments. Countries in severe debt distress have included Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Ukraine, and Zambia.”
Despite some reductions in global food prices, many regions continue to face alarming levels of food insecurity, with millions of people at risk of starvation.
The report also sheds light on the devastating effects of extreme weather events, exacerbated by climate change.
Countries, especially lower-income ones, have been disproportionately affected, yet governments and corporate actors have failed to take adequate measures to address environmental degradation and phase out fossil fuels.
The report highlights the targeting of human rights defenders advocating for the rights of communities affected by economic crises and climate change.
Trade unions, environmental activists, and indigenous groups have faced threats, imprisonment, and violence for their advocacy efforts.
Amnesty has called on governments to implement debt relief measures, invest in universal social protection programs, and cooperate to establish global taxation frameworks.
The report urges governments to ban invasive surveillance technologies, regulate the trade in spyware, and rein in big tech companies whose business models undermine human rights. EFE
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