I once heard Jimmy Carter say that there are no human rights in war. With fighting in Ukraine and Gaza on the front lines, that sentiment seems more relevant than ever. The issue of human rights may be on life support.
There are few great examples of progress to look at, perhaps there is one at last: Northern Ireland.
In addition to major war zones, there are so many places where human rights are being violated, and efforts are needed to deal with the chaos. Old alliances have crumbled or are crumbling. Displaced people cry out for shelter and safety. The death toll is enormous and the chaos is epic.
The Council on Foreign Relations maintains a conflict tracker with orange markers dotting the globe, and Wikipedia maps a much wider range of armed conflicts: hostilities killing people in Sudan and western New Guinea, Haiti on the brink of collapse, criminality rife in Mexico, thousands dying every year in Syria.
Some of the violence has been particularly brutal, like the October 7th music festival in Israel. Hostages have been held for long periods in Russia, China, Egypt and now Gaza. Around one million Palestinians have fled to safety as the impending invasion of Rafah seems certain.
The consequences are obvious, yet difficult to understand. The old and the young die first. After war, hunger comes, and after hunger, disease kills the young and middle-aged. Women are especially vulnerable to sexual violence, the effects of which can last a lifetime. Many become homeless.
It requires that we approach these catastrophes, however large and stubborn they may be, with common sense and sanity.
Let’s start by remembering the goal. Just read again the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948 under the leadership of Eleanor Roosevelt. It is a clarion call for how the world should treat people. Or look to Pope Francis’ “Infinite Dignity,” a call from the Catholic Church to “fight for the rights of the insignificant, without fanfare, in the concrete, everyday life, and at the cost of doing so.”
But how? By supporting the people who rush into conflict and danger, document events, and demand accountability: volunteers, UN workers, local journalists, and peace negotiators. Organizations like Doctors Without Borders, the World Kitchen, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and Amnesty International, where I used to work. (Do your research; not all of them have the staying power.)
Find the part of the world you want to help, and remember it could be next door. Talk to people you disagree with. Find things you can agree on.
Simply put, the world is shaken by violence. Good sense needs to be shaken too. We need to regain hope and confidence in the future.
Is this foolish, or impossible in a world of violence? I don't think so. Wherever you are, whatever your responsibilities, you can still vote, meet, organize, listen, donate your time, your money.
We must remove the human rights from the intensive care unit and reinstate our commitment to it. We must bring the intensive care unit home safely to protect us all.
Jack Healy is the former director of Amnesty International USA and founder of the Human Rights Action Center. He is the author of Create Your Future: Lessons from a Life in Civil and Human Rights.
