Amnesty International: Americas – States Cracked Down on Asylum and the Right to Protest in 2019
As millions took to the streets to protest rampant violence, inequality, corruption and impunity, or were forced to flee their countries in search of safety, states across the
"2019 brought a renewed assault on human rights across much of the
"With yet more social unrest, political instability and environmental destruction looming over the region in 2020, the fight for human rights is as urgent as ever. And make no mistake, the political leaders who preach hate and division in a bid to demonize and undermine the rights of others will find themselves on the wrong side of history."
Protesters and human rights defenders faced rampant violence and state repression
Protest movements, often led by young people, rose up to demand accountability and respect for human rights in countries like
The repression in
In total, at least 210 people died violently in the context of protests across the
Gun violence remains one of the biggest human rights concerns in
Governments took aggressive stances against migrants, refugees and asylum seekers
The number of men, women and children to have fled
Further north, the US government misused the justice system to harass migrants' rights defenders, unlawfully detained children fleeing situations of violence and implemented new measures and policies to attack and massively restrict access to asylum, in violation of its obligations under international law.
Following the Trump administration's threats to impose new trade tariffs, the Mexican government not only agreed to receive and host forcibly returned asylum seekers under MPP, but also deployed troops to stop Central Americans from making their way to the US-Mexico border.
Impunity, the environment and gender-based violence remain major concerns
Impunity remains the norm across the region. The Guatemalan government undermined victims' access to justice for grave human rights violations by shutting down the
Environmental concerns continued to rise across the
Having taken office at the start of 2019, president Bolsonaro swiftly put his wider anti-human rights rhetoric into practice through a number of administrative and legislative measures that threaten the rights of everyone in the country. Meanwhile, the emblematic 2018 killing of the human rights defender
Despite some progress and the growth of diverse women's rights movements in the
Human rights victories and reasons for optimism in 2020
The last year has also brought some positive news. By the end of 2019, 22 countries had signed the Escazu Agreement, a ground-breaking regional treaty on environmental rights.
In
The acquittal of
"The 'green wave' of women and girls demanding sexual and reproductive rights and an end to gender-based violence showed unstoppable momentum across the
"As we enter a new decade, we cannot afford for the governments of the
Sen. Udall Launches Awareness Campaign to Encourage Accurate Census Count for New Mexico
Global Insurance Analytics Market Analysis, Trends, and Forecasts 2019-2025 – ResearchAndMarkets.com
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News