Global Scans · Civil Rights · Weekly Summary

• [New] Countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and others have adopted measures - from public documentation of incidents to multilateral diplomatic engagement - that signal growing pushback against Chinese actions they see as coercive or threatening to their sovereign rights. FirstPost
• [New] Colleges and universities are reeling from multiple other federal disruptions (e.g., slashed federal research grants, frozen funding and fines for elite schools over alleged discrimination, increased scrutiny of international students), but the Department of Education is only a bit-player. Encoura
• [New] Within 18-24 months, we will likely see enhanced versions incorporating AI-driven target discrimination and increased laser power output, along with potential integration into broader Chinese-supplied air defence ecosystems including HQ-series SAM batteries. Drone Warfare
• [New] India might side with the West on South China Sea freedom of navigation but with China on climate finance. Medium
• [New] As China expanded Belt and Road investments, advanced in EVs and AI, and entered a sharper economic rivalry with the United States, its property slowdown and domestic inequality exposed new vulnerabilities. Yahoo Finance
• [New] The federal and NSW governments have announced new laws to stamp out hate preachers, beefed up criminal consequences for people who make racist threats, tougher action on antisemitism, and stricter rules against guns. The Sydney Morning Herald
• [New] Children's rights have been a subject of global concern due to the growing challenges that are threatening their basic rights, ranging from online threats to armed conflicts. - JURIST - News
• [New] Excessive delays in the investigation of sexual offences have become a widespread feature of policing across the UK and risk breaching survivors' human rights by denying them prompt and effective access to justice. Law Gazette
• [New] The next wave of new technologies will transform how people exercise their rights online; Freedom on the Net offered recommendations on how governments and companies can address authoritarian encroachment and create a free and open global internet. Freedom House
• [New] Transnational repression - the set of tactics used by governments to reach across borders and silence dissent among exiles - is a serious threat to human rights, democratic institutions, and state sovereignty, as well as a disturbing manifestation of global authoritarianism. Freedom House
• [New] NGOs are having difficulty in getting approvals for registration, while facing harassment and threats. / Syria Rojava Information Center
• [New] Regulation and oversight: As we head into 2026, there's a global push for explainable AI and tougher data privacy laws to make sure that algorithmic decisions are transparent, fair, and free from discrimination. Fort Wayne Business Weekly
• [New] Brazil and Chile are pioneering EU-inspired risk-classification models, while regional coalitions emphasize transparency and human rights in algorithmic systems. Nemko Digital B.V.
• [New] The China Coast Guard will continue to conduct law enforcement activities in waters under Chinese jurisdiction, resolutely safeguarding national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights. gCaptain
• [New] In Colombia, CAFOD is supporting human rights defenders and Indigenous communities in the unique ecosystem of the Siera Nevada de Santa Marta where they are at risk of physical and cultural survival due the ongoing armed conflict and the illicit economies that fuel it, as well as climate change. cafod.org.uk
• [New] We can expect the US to become a beacon of freedom in opposition to China's authoritarianism. Uncharted Territories
• The UK's Employment Rights Bill will reduce the qualifying period for unfair dismissal rights from two years to six months and restrict 'fire and rehire' practices. DLA Piper
• At the federal level, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is expected to increase its focus on religious discrimination and accommodation. / USA DLA Piper
• In the US, President Trump's Executive Order, 'Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,' is directed at private-sector DEI preferences, mandates, policies, programs, and activities. DLA Piper
• Returnees face serious human-rights threats, including the possibility of torture. / Afghanistan migrationpolicy.org
• Recent plans to make cuts to disability benefits in the UK have raised concerns that disability rights might be retreating. The Guardian
• Water scarcity As freshwater scarcity grows in markets around the world - and demand for water increases for semiconductor manufacturing and cooling data centers - more water rights conflicts will arise. EY
• The people of Burma, including the Karen, have never and will never change in their desire for freedom, human rights and democracy. ENG.MIZZIMA.COM

Last updated: 28 December 2025