The book reflects on the impact of human rights on the author's life, acknowledging both progress and challenges. It draws on personal and professional experiences to illustrate the evolution of human rights and the ongoing struggle against violations.
The book 'Taking A Stand: The Evolution of Human Rights' by Juan E. Méndez is a deeply personal reflection on the impact human rights have had on his life. It acknowledges the growth and challenges in the field, drawing on his experiences as a victim, lawyer, and professor. The author highlights the progress made in institutional reform and the ability of organizations to operate in dangerous zones. He also emphasizes the ongoing struggle against blatant offenses like torture and subtle punishments such as solitary confinement. The book ends on a note of hope and challenge, encouraging the global community to continue advancing human rights. The content is highly regarded, with copies sold out at the reception, and it is recommended for anyone interested in human rights.
Quick quotes
The title of the book is Taking A Stand and the subtitle is The Evolution of Human Rights. I wrote the book as a reflection of the impact human rights has had on my life, to reflect not only on the growth, but also to acknowledge the challenges.
The book is a way to illustrate and enable people to understand how far we’ve come to make the international human rights groups diverse in their composition, effective in their procedures to uncover outstanding occurrences for organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International and sufficiently equipped with the ability to create effective policies and rules.
I end the book on a note of hope and challenge because blatant offenses against human dignity like torture haven’t disappeared, and subtle but equally brutal punishments such as solitary confinement are now being more broadly used.