30 Years of Leading Human Rights Watch: Kenneth Roth on Fighting Autocrats and Lessons for Today

In a time when autocrats dominate headlines and war feels like a permanent backdrop, how do we fight back against injustice? In this episode, I’m joined by Kenneth Roth, who spent 30 years as the executive director of Human Rights Watch, to discuss his powerful new book Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments. Drawing from a lifetime of confronting dictators, documenting atrocities, and pressing world leaders to act, Roth offers a rare, inside look at what it takes to defend human rights in the face of power. From the ongoing crises in Gaza and Ukraine to the conflicts in Congo and Sudan, he shares lessons on building effective advocacy, engaging reluctant governments, and sustaining pressure for accountability—even when justice feels out of reach.