Throughout the year, HRW covered many human rights topics and crises around the world. From investigations into crimes against humanity and war crimes in Israel, Gaza, and Sudan, to rollbacks and victories for peoples' freedoms, these were among the most-read stories on our site in 2024.
- The Taliban and the Global Backlash on Women's Rights
Since regaining power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have created the world’s most serious women’s rights crisis - one that has serious implications for the rights of women and girls globally.
2. October 7 Crimes Against Humanity, War Crimes by Hamas-led Groups
In July we released a report documenting how Hamas-led armed groups committed numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity against civilians during the October 7 assault on southern Israel.
3. Israel's Imposed Starvation Deadly for Children in Gaza
An April report showed how children in Gaza have been dying since Israel began using starvation as a weapon of war, which is is a war crime.
4. Sudan: Ethnic Cleansing in West Darfur
Over the year, HRW reported extensively on the brutal conflict in Sudan. This May publication analyzed attacks in the country's West Darfur state that killed thousands of people and left hundreds of thousands as refugees.
5. Second Trump Term a Threat to Rights
As Donald Trump prepares to take office in the United States, his second term poses a grave threat to human rights in the US and around the world.
6. Victory for Same-Sex Marriage in Thailand
In June, Thailand’s Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass a same-sex marriage bill. It made Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia, and the second in Asia, to recognize same-sex relationships.
7. World Court Finds Israel Responsible for Apartheid
In a historic ruling in July, the International Court of Justice found multiple and serious international law violations by Israel towards Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including, for the first time, finding Israel responsible for apartheid.
8. South Korea's Digital Sex Crime Deepfake Crisis
This article examined South Korea's epidemic of digital sex crimes, as hundreds of women and girls are targeted through deepfake sexual images being shared online.
9. Doctor's Rape, Murder in India Sparks Protests
Thousands of Indians took to the streets in August to protest the rape and murder of a doctor in a government hospital in Kolkata city.
10. A Step for Freedom of Religion and Belief in Indonesia
This year, citizens from smaller religious groups were allowed to change the religious identity on their identity cards, with the introduction of a new category alongside the country's six recognized religions. Kepercayaan is the seventh religious category to join the list of government-recognized religions since Indonesia's nationwide blasphemy law went into effect in 1965.