What region gets the most coverage of its human rights abuses?

In this rigorous investigation of foreign-press reporting from 1981 to 2000, James Ron and Emilie Hafner-Burton demonstrate that Latin America received significantly more media attention for human rights abuses than any other region—even when controlling for population, income, political regime, and repression. Using data drawn from The Economist, Newsweek, and the New York Times, the analysis shows that Latin American violations attracted 42 % to 82 % more coverage than comparable abuses elsewhere. The authors explore possible drivers—including US foreign-policy interest, democratization processes, and Catholic-Church activism—but find that none fully explain the disparity. Ultimately, the article reveals a persistent “Latin bias” in international human-rights reporting and calls for fresh data to examine whether this imbalance has shifted in regions such as Africa, Asia, or the Middle East.