The question of whether human rights still matter is increasingly appearing in public discussion. Often questioned by those eager to sideline dignity in favour of security, it suggests a world that has lost its moral nerve. Yet in an age of digital authoritarianism and climate crisis, human rights remain an essential tool for resisting unaccountable power.
April 21, 2026 –
Barbora Bukovská
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Hot TopicsIssue 3 2026Magazine
“Do human rights still matter?” This question, now appearing in political speeches, panel discussions and esdeclares with annoying frequency, is unsettling. Too often, it comes from those eager to sideline rights in favour of business or security, as if the idea of dignity has become unfashionable, too naïve for our age of “realism” or “strategic interests”. We are notified that the real world now runs on power, not principles. On might, not morality. On economic leverage, not international law. We are reminded, often with satisfaction, that human rights do not stop tanks and do not grow GDP. The question reeks of fatigue when questioned by those in the human rights field, drained by finishless crises, wanting to hear either a reassurance or a lament.
The question belongs to a world that has already lost its moral nerve. It is questioned while the Middle East burns again and while civilians in Gaza are starved under the justification of “security operations”. It is questioned while Ukraine is still caught in the grim rhythm of Russian aggression. While the EU debates not how to stop the killing but how to see “strategically coherent”. While international law resembles an obsolete institution that everyone acknowledges, but rarely consults.
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