Description

‘If human rights are considered the most essential quality of human existence, then this book represents a lifetime devoted to the fight for those rights’ Ai Weiwei

In three decades under the leadership of Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch conducted investigations in 100 countries to uncover abuses – and pressured offending governments to stop them. Roth has grappled with the worst of humanity, taken on the most ruthless oppressors of our time, and persuaded leaders from around the globe to stand up to their repressive counterparts.

The son of a Jew who fled Nazi Germany just before the war began, Roth grew up knowing full well how inhumane governments could be. He has traveled the world to meet cruelty and injustice on its home turf: he arrived in Rwanda shortly after the genocide; scrutinized the impact of Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait; investigated and condemned Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinians. He directed efforts to curtail the Chinese government’s persecution of Uyghur Muslims, to bring Myanmar’s officials to justice after the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, to halt Russian war crimes in Ukraine, even to rein in the U.S. government. Roth’s many innovations and strategies included the deployment of a concept as old as mankind – the powerful tool of ‘shaming’ – and here he illustrates its surprising effectiveness against evildoers.

This is a story of wins, losses, and ongoing battles in the ceaseless fight for a more decent world.

Publisher Review

If human rights are considered the most essential quality of human existence, then this book represents a lifetime devoted to the fight for those rights – a testament to the thoughts and experiences of a truly courageous individual. It offers a deeply insightful analysis of the global state of human rights, while also serving as a practical guide for action, aiming to inspire tangible change. This book is vibrant, passionate, and alive with purpose. It combines wisdom with a powerful idealistic spirit, making it highly relevant in today’s complex political landscape, where the struggle for dignity and the rights inherent to life continue to have profound significance. — Ai Weiwei In a world ravaged by polarisation and endangered by numbness, a remarkable book that will restore your faith in human beings. Brimming with wisdom, passion, resilience and courage, Ken Roth not only offers decades of experience as a leading human rights defender, but also gives us a powerful antidote to autocracy, an antidote to apathy. One of the most important books of the year, if not of the next decade — Elif Shafak A penetrating, inspiring and challenging account of what it takes to fight to uphold human rights in an increasingly fractured and dangerous world. This is partly a personal memoir and partly a call to arms, and it should inspire anyone who wishes to make a difference in the world. His account does not shy away from detailing the gritty, tough tactics and hard work needed to fight for change, but it also shows how dedication, focus and hard work can deliver remarkable – and unexpected – results, and why it is essential to take a neutral and consistent approach to upholding human rights, not just in the Global South but the West as well. — Gillian Tett Memoir, history and horror, a personal journey captivatingly woven around a world, its challenges and hopes — Philippe Sands Protecting human rights is a noble mission, requiring both courage and vision to make real progress. There is no one in the world who is better equipped than Kenneth Roth to explain the creative forms of political pressure that can be generated to force governments to better respect rights. This inside account will inspire and open up doors for other courageous visionaries to make change — Anthony Romero A master class on human rights advocacy from America’s most distinguished human rights leader — Michael Ignatieff