The year 2021 was a year of hope and promises: everyone’s hope that vaccines would stop the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and promises by governments andgroupings like the G7 and G20 to “build back better”. However, this was often merely lip service, with some governments even redoubling their exploitation of the pandemic to entrench their own positions.

This analysis explores three key trends arising from Amnesty International’s 2021 human rights research in 154 countries: health and inequalities, civic space and Global North pushback on refugees and migrants.