06/16/10 (LWN-Commentary) Typically we hear about human rights violations as something that happens in a few African and Asian nations like Iran, China, and Sudan. The reality is that they happen in countries all over the world. A recent Amnesty International report found that the majority of countries use torture, and U.N. inspectors have witnessed severe human rights violations in prisons from Uruguay to Mongolia. Many rebel groups also violate human rights.

Usually the only countries criticized for such violations are singled out for political reasons. Trade sanctions, suspensions of aid, and even war have been justified for the purpose of human rights protection, but these actions have only harmed ordinary people and did nothing to stop such practices. Meanwhile, human rights violations committed by North American and European countries are treated as the actions of unruly individuals, although the top leaders of other nations are blamed for equivalent actions.

The current approach to human rights has done little to improve the situation. Often the governments condemning other countries' human rights have their own deficiencies, which only leads to an argument about double-standards and distracts from the issue. Sometimes a specific case (such as one person's arrest) can be resolved through worldwide media coverage or the intervention of a famous individual, but this is seldom possible. The actions of a country's citizens are more likely to improve its human rights than those of foreigners.

This doesn't mean that people in one country can't help improve the human rights situation in another. Perhaps a more positive approach would help. We must remember that many human rights violations occur without the approval or even the knowledge of national leaders. Here are some possible actions the U.N., human rights organizations, media, and governments could take:

1. Provide more assistance to help willing countries prevent such violations.

2. Give greater recognition to the few nations which have very good human rights records.

3. Accept more refugees without applying political bias based upon their origin.

4. Only distribute news and information about human rights from reputable sources.

5. Avoid all military aggression and threats, which bring about many such crimes.

There is no simple solution to stop human rights violations. But as long as countries are condemned, punished, or excused on a political basis and certain nations promote a constant atmosphere of war, the situation remains unlikely to improve.