Anti-rights movements are movements, groups or campaigns that actively work against the recognition, protection, and advancement of

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

. These movements can target a variety of rights and marginalized groups. They often use

misinformation Misinformation is incorrect or misleading information. Misinformation and disinformation are not interchangeable terms: misinformation can exist with or without specific malicious intent, whereas disinformation is distinct in that the information ...

, fear-mongering, and lobbying to undermine legal protections and social acceptance for targeted groups. ODI described anti-rights movements as "a loose coalition of actors

hat A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...

has succeeded in stalling progress and undermining rights and freedoms," and that are "well-organised and extremely well-funded compared to progressive rights movements."

UN Women The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, is a United Nations entity charged with working for gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN Women is charged with advocating for the righ ...

described anti-gender, gender-critical and

men's rights movement The men's rights movement (MRM) is a branch of the men's movement. The MRM in particular consists of a variety of groups and individuals known as men's rights activists (MRAs) who focus on social issues, such as specific government services, w ...

s as examples of anti-rights movements in 2024. Other movements described as anti-rights include

anti-immigration Opposition to immigration, also known as anti-immigration, is a political position that seeks to restrict immigration. In the modern sense, immigration refers to the entry of people from one state or territory into another state or territory in ...

and anti-racial equality movements.

References

{{reflist Discrimination Social movements