In 2001, the UN’s Durban Conference was supposed to be a meeting about human rights. But instead, it was marred by anti-Semitic slogans, flyers praising Hitler, and fundamentalist propaganda. Fast forward to 2006 and the creation of the Human Rights Council, where for the first time, a documentary reveals what really goes on behind the scenes at Geneva’s UN premises.
The film reveals the struggle that has taken place since the creation of the Human Rights Council. While the United States was waging war against terrorism and disregarding UN regulations, Asian and African states took hold of the majority in the new Council. Since then, it has become a direct confrontation between two world views: those of authoritarian states and dictatorships, versus the few democracies present in the assembly.
Robert Badinter, the father of the abolition of the death penalty in France, describes the situation as “the question of human rights once more became an ideological battlefield.” Words are being used as weapons in this new assembly, where the debate revolves around sensitive issues like whether to forbid the defamation of religions in order to combat racism at an international level or whether such measures hide discrimination made in the name of religion in certain countries.
The film exposes the chaos and controversy that surrounds the Human Rights Council. It highlights how human rights have become an endless battle between different worldviews and ideological systems, with democracy and freedom being pitted against authoritarianism and dictatorship.
The Second Durban Conference, set to take place, has become a contentious issue with America and European countries threatening to boycott the process. As such, the film serves as an important reminder of the need to keep fighting for human rights and to hold those in power accountable.
In conclusion, “Human Rights: An Endless Battle” is a harrowing look inside the UN’s Human Rights Council. The film’s unflinching portrayal of the Council’s struggles and controversies serves as a wake-up call to the importance of fighting for human rights, no matter the ideological opposition.
