Matt McConnell
economic justice and rights researcher for @hrw.org focusing on global health inequalities
- Reposted by Matt McConnellnew @hrw.org on how spending on education & health care in #Egypt declined to unprecedented levels, while Sisi keeps justifying jailing tens of thousands by inferring that social & economic rights take precedence over political rights. www.hrw.org/news/2026/01...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellNew poverty data just out affirms a shameful fact: The US is one of the most unequal rich countries in the world. Home to more billionaires than any other country, and 43.7 million ppl in poverty. Trump's agenda is set to make things worse. Our take👇 www.oxfamamerica.org/press/new-us...
- Had a great chat with @rosiebultman.bsky.social of KCSB and my @hrw.org colleague @sarahsaadoun.bsky.social about the Trump admin's terrible budget bill and how it will make ordinary people pay for tax cuts for the rich with their health Take a listen 👇 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellPleasure to join @rosiebultman.bsky.social on The People’s Program with my @hrw.org colleague @mattcconnell.bsky.social to talk about how Trump used the budget bill to kill a global rule meant to finally make companies pay a minimum tax rate on their profits. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellMaksym Chernyak came to the US from Ukraine seeking safety. He died in ICE custody. This is his story. www.hrw.org/report/2025/... 🧵
- Reposted by Matt McConnellAs the #UCBill (without PIP) returns to UK Parliament for its third (and final?) reading, my post for @hrw.org www.hrw.org/news/2025/07... The watered-down version of the Bill will still negatively affect many with disabilities and long term health conditions. The government should scrap it.
- Reposted by Matt McConnellL'avenir de la finance est en train de se décider et cet avenir doit donner la priorité aux droits humains. Human Rights Watch participe à la Conférence internationale sur le financement du développement à Séville, en Espagne. @mattcconnell.bsky.social nous explique les enjeux ⤵
- Reposted by Matt McConnellThe future of money is being decided — and that future should put human rights first. Human Rights Watch is at the International Financing for Development Conference in Seville, Spain. Listen to @mattcconnell.bsky.social's dispatch:
- Reposted by Matt McConnellRead more from HRW:
- Reposted by Matt McConnellThe One Big Beautiful Bill Act isn't a solution to economic inequality or for managing immigration and asylum procedures — it's a blueprint for cruelty. The US deserves a health care system that fulfills everyone’s human right to health, and a budget that makes this possible.
- Reposted by Matt McConnell@hrw.org: Proposed #Trump administration "big beautiful bill" would benefit the wealthiest at the expense of human rights. If signed into law, it would strip millions of people of health insurance coverage and harm rights in numerous other ways. - @mattcconnell.bsky.social
- “It’s appalling that President Trump ran on a campaign to fix the economy but is delivering a budget that makes ordinary people pay with their health for tax breaks for millionaires." More from @hrw.org 👇 hrw.org/news/2025/07... Tell the House: #NotOnOurWatch
- 1/ 🧵 The US Senate just passed a budget that rewards the wealthy while slashing programs essential for human rights They call it the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Here’s what they think is “beautiful” 👇 www.hrw.org/news/2025/07... @hrw.org
- 2/ 💰 Massive tax cuts for the richest Americans and deep cuts to health care, food aid, and funding for programs necessary to protect the environment and our planet It’s a massive transfer of wealth from public goods to private pockets
- 3/ The most recent estimates from the @USCBO found that the bill would cause: – The Bottom 10% to lose ~$1,600/year – The Top 10% to gain ~$12,000/year That’s a – 4% hit for the poor, +2.3% gain for the rich! It's inequality, turbocharged
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View full thread7/ Gov. budgets should respect, protect, and fulfill all human rights — not reward billionaires But the fight is not over. 📞 Call your House reps 📝And use the form below to tell them 📢 #NotOnOurWatch www.hrw.org/NotOnOurWatch
- Reposted by Matt McConnell“It’s appalling that President Trump ran on a campaign to fix the economy but is delivering a budget that makes ordinary people pay with their health for tax breaks for millionaires” @mattcconnell.bsky.social @hrw.org on the catastrophe of a budget the senate just passed www.hrw.org/news/2025/07...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellHow can we finance universal #SocialProtection in a world shaped by inequality & debt crises? I joined @socialprotection.org , @afdbgroup.bsky.social, @unicef.org for a timely conversation about the need for political will ahead of #FfD4. socialprotection.org/learn/podcas...
- Reposted by Matt McConnell🚨 Big news from Geneva: the @ilo.org has agreed to develop binding global standards on decent work in the platform economy. This is a major breakthrough—but the real fight is just beginning.🧵 #ILC2025 #GigWorkersRights www.hrw.org/news/2025/06...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellThis is a low point. Trump, having unconstitutionally obliterated foreign aid, asks members of Congress to bless the power he illegally took from them. Trump’s cuts will save a rounding error, but cost America its credibility and hundreds of thousands of people their lives.
- Reposted by Matt McConnellMy latest piece for @inequality.org on how the platform economy runs on #inequality while sidestepping labor rights. This isn’t about rejecting technology. It’s about making sure companies don’t hide exploitation behind an app. #ILC2025 inequality.org/article/the-...
- "Whether [it] can live up to its promise will depend on whether governments live up to theirs.... far stronger commitments are needed, especially from Global North countries, to avoid repeating our mistakes" More👇 from @hrw.org on the new @who.int pandemic agreement www.hrw.org/news/2025/05...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellThe House is trying to vote as soon as today on their budget bill. Several members who declared they wouldn’t cut Medicaid have now gone quiet as their ‘walk-the-plank’ moment approaches. Forget what you promised? Don’t worry. We have receipts. 🧵🧾
- Reposted by Matt McConnellCountries came together amidst scarcity to commit to a more just & healthy world. That is worth celebrating. If the U.S. had applied these terms NIH-Moderna could have been affordable & available to rich & poor countries alike, saving hundreds of thousands of lives. www.citizen.org/news/despite...
- Right now, the US House is considering a bill that would make health care less available, less affordable, and of poorer quality for millions If you live in the US, use the info below to get in touch with your Congressmembers and tell them to reject these cuts! #HandsOffMedicaid
- Read the full blog for more, stay connected, stay involved, keep calling your representatives at 866-426-2631 and tell them to vote NO and keep their #HandsOffMedicaid! familiesusa.org/resources/ad...
- Members of the US House of Representatives are meeting this week to debate a legislative package that would, if enacted as written, have profound negative impacts on human rights in the US. It should not become law. More from @hrw.org ⬇️ www.hrw.org/news/2025/05...
- 50% of US platform workers surveyed would go into debt to pay an unexpected $400 cost. That's higher than the avg. American! @lenasimet.bsky.social's new report on this precarious work explains how companies like Uber & Instacart $$ from exploiting their workers More ⬇️ www.hrw.org/report/2025/...
- 3/ To understand the impact of the platform business model, @amostoh.bsky.social & I interviewed and surveyed 200+ workers in Texas & 12 other states. Many workers started platform work with high hopes - most were let down. Some ended up in debt or even homeless.
- Reposted by Matt McConnell1/ After nearly 3 years of research, our @hrw.org report "The Gig Trap" is finally out. It documents how companies like Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, Shipt, Favor, and Amazon Flex created a business model that undermines labor rights & deepens inequality in the US. A 🧵https://hrw.org/node/391214
- Reposted by Matt McConnellNew @hrw.org report dropping next week on labor rights abuses in the US platform economy. 📅Join us for the launch event on Tuesday, May 13 at 11:30am ET / 3:30pm UTC Featuring @deschuttero.bsky.social @amostoh.bsky.social @ituc.bsky.social & others! 📌 Register here: hrworg.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellThe world is moving towards an international treaty on crimes against humanity. A huge opportunity to enhance justice for children - governments should consider kids now. We have some ideas in a new paper released today: cahtreatynow.org/justice-for-... @hrw.org @veroaubert.bsky.social
- Reposted by Matt McConnell
NEW from #HRW: Interactive feature cataloguing 100 human rights harms in Trump administration's first 100 days. www.hrw.org/feature/2025... - Reposted by Matt McConnell(2) A new report from the brilliant @mattcconnell.bsky.social crunches WHO data to reveal the stark underfunding of health globally www.hrw.org/news/2025/04... (3) Meanwhile, the UK slashes foreign aid, inc for health, compounding harm of US cuts www.hrw.org/news/2025/04...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellYes, economies should be transformed to ensure everyone can enjoy their rights. But the Trump approach does not care for people's lives & rights. There are other reforms we could make instead. Our preliminary piece on human rights take on Trump's tarrifs www.hrw.org/news/2025/0...
- Reposted by Matt McConnell“A human rights approach to tariffs would carefully weigh the risk of increasing prices on necessities like food and housing against the potential benefits.” New from @hrw.org on why Trump’s economic policies are not the change we need. www.hrw.org/news/2025/04...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellDid you know 84% of the world—6.6 billion people—reside in 141 countries that invest less than the crucial 5% of their GDP in healthcare? See more in @mattcconnell.bsky.social's revealing piece at hrw.org/news/2025/0.... 🌍💰🏥
- Unfriendly reminder that the 1st US border patrol agent was named Jefferson Davis (by his dad, a Confederate Governor) and had been a "Mounted Chinese Inspector" under the CEA before becoming the "Father of the US Border Patrol" US immigration enforcement has always been a racist project
- Reposted by Matt McConnellThe incoming German coalition government’s plans to “reform” basic social security are troubling, punitive, and will lead to real terms cuts. Real reform means raising existing social security payment levels to guarantee the human right to a decent living standard. www.hrw.org/news/2025/04...
- Public debts can be a major hurdle the right to health - In 2022, 48+ gov's spent more paying back public debt than they did on health care - 30 sent more $ to creditors than what was needed to fully fund health care along int'l guidelines (5%GDP) More from @hrw.org 👇 www.hrw.org/news/2025/04...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellThe vast majority of people in the world live in countries where low public funding undermines their access to health care. Read that again.
- 📣 new from @hrw.org 📣 Health spending data from 190+ countries exposes drivers of global health inequalities As US and wealthy gov's pull back health aid, these data stress need for greater public spending, public debt relief, and new int'l tax rules 👇 (w/ charts!) www.hrw.org/news/2025/04...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellHe’s relatively new to this platform, but here’s a taster of the quality content he provides. Top-shelf human rights data pedantry. bsky.app/profile/matt...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellMy colleague @mattcconnell.bsky.social likes his charts and graphs 📈 📊📉 about human rights, particularly economic and social rights. Follow him if you — like me — you do too. 🤓 New global research on health expenditure by @hrw.org
- 📣 new from @hrw.org 📣 Health spending data from 190+ countries exposes drivers of global health inequalities As US and wealthy gov's pull back health aid, these data stress need for greater public spending, public debt relief, and new int'l tax rules 👇 (w/ charts!) www.hrw.org/news/2025/04...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellAs the Covid-19 pandemic waned & global inflation surged, public funding for healthcare stalled. My @hrw.org colleague @mattcconnell.bsky.social analyzed recent @who.int data from 190 countries—finding that many spend more on debt payments than on healthcare. More here: www.hrw.org/news/2025/04...
- 📣 new from @hrw.org 📣 Health spending data from 190+ countries exposes drivers of global health inequalities As US and wealthy gov's pull back health aid, these data stress need for greater public spending, public debt relief, and new int'l tax rules 👇 (w/ charts!) www.hrw.org/news/2025/04...
- Reposted by Matt McConnellNew data from the World Health Organization reveals that many governments’ public funding of health care falls short of what is needed to meet their human rights obligations. Learn more:
- Just started Kohei Saito's SLOW DOWN, and one of the first things I've learned is to double proof my Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion
