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‘Restricted’: Nearly 7 billion people worldwide lack full civil rights

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German nonprofit Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World) said on Monday in its latest Atlas of Civil Society that 85 percent of the world's population, about 7 billion people, lives in countries where civil societies are either restricted, suppressed or closed, meaning their governments impose severe restrictions on their civil liberties.

German nonprofit Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World) said on Monday in its latest Atlas of Civil Society that 85 percent of the world's population, about 7 billion people, lives in countries where civil societies are either restricted, suppressed or closed, meaning their governments impose severe restrictions on their civil liberties.

The study further asserts that only 3.5 percent of the global population enjoy all civil rights and liberties, as they live in the 40 countries and territories that are classified as "open" societies, including the Baltic nations, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, New Zealand, the Scandinavian nations, Switzerland, Taiwan and Uruguay.

DPA International

Civicus Monitor

The study further asserts that only 3.5 percent of the global population enjoy all civil rights and liberties, as they live in the 40 countries and territories that are classified as "open" societies, including the Baltic nations, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, New Zealand, the Scandinavian nations, Switzerland, Taiwan and Uruguay.

Brot für die Welt draws on data from Civicus network, which classifies 197 countries and territories also as narrowed — Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, Poland, South Korea, and the U.S. — obstructed — Brazil, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Morocco, South Africa, Ukraine and the U.K. — repressed — Algeria, Colombia, India, Mexico, Pakistan and Turkey — and closed — China, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

Brot für die Welt draws on data from Civicus network, which classifies 197 countries and territories also as narrowed — Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, Poland, South Korea, and the U.S. — obstructed — Brazil, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Morocco, South Africa, Ukraine and the U.K. — repressed — Algeria, Colombia, India, Mexico, Pakistan and Turkey — and closed — China, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

Earlier this year, the V-Dem Democracy Report found that there is a global wave of autocratization, with almost three out of four people living under autocracies — the highest figure since 1978 — as the world has more autocracies than democracies for the first time in over two decades.

V-Dem Institute

Earlier this year, the V-Dem Democracy Report found that there is a global wave of autocratization, with almost three out of four people living under autocracies — the highest figure since 1978 — as the world has more autocracies than democracies for the first time in over two decades.

This comes as the Cato-Fraser Human Freedom Index 2024 found that 87.4 percent of the world's population lost freedom between 2019 and 2022, with only 14.1 percent currently living in the top quartile of freest jurisdictions while 43 percent reside in the bottom quartile of least-free countries.

Cato Institute

Fraser Institute

This comes as the Cato-Fraser Human Freedom Index 2024 found that 87.4 percent of the world's population lost freedom between 2019 and 2022, with only 14.1 percent currently living in the top quartile of freest jurisdictions while 43 percent reside in the bottom quartile of least-free countries.

Meanwhile, Freedom House's Freedom in the World index documented that four countries declined from Partly Free to Not Free status last year — Thailand, Kuwait, Niger and Tanzania — and Serbia declined from Free to Partly Free, while Bhutan, Indian Kashmir and Senegal were elevated from Not Free to Partly Free.

Freedom House

Meanwhile, Freedom House's Freedom in the World index documented that four countries declined from Partly Free to Not Free status last year — Thailand, Kuwait, Niger and Tanzania — and Serbia declined from Free to Partly Free, while Bhutan, Indian Kashmir and Senegal were elevated from Not Free to Partly Free.

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Brot für die Welt draws on data from Civicus network, which classifies 197 countries and territories also as narrowed — Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, South Korea, and the U.S. — obstructed — Brazil, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Morocco, South Africa, Ukraine and the U.K. — repressed — Algeria, Colombia, India, Mexico, Pakistan and Turkey — and closed — China, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

Brot für die Welt draws on data from Civicus network, which classifies 197 countries and territories also as narrowed —  Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, South Korea, and the U.S. — obstructed — Brazil, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Morocco, South Africa, Ukraine and the U.K. — repressed — Algeria, Colombia, India, Mexico, Pakistan and Turkey — and closed — China, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

Cato Institute #

Fraser Institute #

Freedom House #

This latest report on civil rights and liberties expose a genuine global crisis where authoritarian governments systematically crush dissent and eliminate civil liberties, especially as far-right extremists and libertarians attack rule of law institutions as enemies of the will of the people and governments abuse existing laws or create new ones to silence civil society. Hopefully, civil society is fighting back with strategic litigation.

This latest report on civil rights and liberties expose a genuine global crisis where authoritarian governments systematically crush dissent and eliminate civil liberties, especially as far-right extremists and libertarians attack rule of law institutions as enemies of the will of the people and governments abuse existing laws or create new ones to silence civil society. Hopefully, civil society is fighting back with strategic litigation.

Brot für die Welt

Atlas of Civil Society 2025

International democracy watchdogs disguise their progressive political preferences as scientific findings, producing misleading reports that reliably lean left in their judgments. These organizations use subjective value-laden assessments to punish countries that offend center-left sensibilities, turning civil liberties concerns into political weapons rather than neutral analysis.

International democracy watchdogs disguise their progressive political preferences as scientific findings, producing misleading reports that reliably lean left in their judgments. These organizations use subjective value-laden assessments to punish countries that offend center-left sensibilities, turning civil liberties concerns into political weapons rather than neutral analysis.

Unherd

Unherd #

Why should we trust democracy indexes?

Report: About 7 Billion People Lack Full Civil Rights

Report: About 7 Billion People Lack Full Civil Rights

Civil liberties

Freedom & human rights

World

International democracy and civil liberties watchdogs disguise their progressive political preferences as scientific findings, producing misleading reports that lean left in their judgments and punish any country daring to offend their center-left sensibilities. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain how Canada and EU countries are ranked better than the U.S. despite their much more restrictive laws on speech.

International democracy and civil liberties watchdogs disguise their progressive political preferences as scientific findings, producing misleading reports that lean left in their judgments and punish any country daring to offend their center-left sensibilities. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain how Canada and EU countries are ranked better than the U.S. despite their much more restrictive laws on speech.

Report: About 7 Billion People Lack Full Civil Rights

Report: About 7 Billion People Lack Full Civil Rights

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Report: About 7 Billion People Lack Full Civil Rights

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