Freedom in the World is an annual global report on political rights and civil liberties, composed of numerical ratings and descriptive texts for each country and a select group of territories. The 2022 edition covers developments in 195 countries and 15 territories from January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2021.
The report's methodology is derived in large measure from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. Freedom in the World is based on the premise that these standards apply to all countries and territories, irrespective of geographical location, ethnic or religious composition, or level of economic development. Freedom in the World operates from the assumption that freedom for all people is best achieved in liberal democratic societies.
Freedom in the World assesses the real-world rights and freedoms enjoyed by individuals, rather than governments or government performance per se. Political rights and civil liberties can be affected by both state and non-state actors, including insurgents and other armed groups. To read more about the methodology used by Freedom House, please visit https://freedomhouse.org/reports/freedom-world/freedom-world-research-methodology. These subcategories, drawn from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, represent the fundamental components of freedom, which include an individual's ability to:
Note: The 1982 edition of Freedom in the World covers the period Jan 1981 - Aug 1982 (=1981 in our dataset). The 1983-84 edition covers the period Aug 1982 - Nov 1983 (=1983 in our dataset). This leaves 1982 empty. For 1972, South Africa was in the original data rated as 'White' (fh_cl: 3, fh_pr: 2, fh_status: Free) and 'Black' (fh_cl: 6, fh_pr: 5, fh_status: Not Free). We treat South Africa 1972 as missing.
Last updated by source: 2022-02-01
| Dataset type: | Time-Series |
| Dataset level: | Country |
(Freedom House, 2022)
Associational and Organizational Rights - The variable evaluates the freedom of assembly, demonstrations and open public discussion; the freedom for nongovernmental organizations; and the freedom for trade unions, peasant organizations and other professional and private organizations. Countries are graded between 0 (worst) and 12 (best).
More about this variableCivil Liberties Rating - Civil liberties allow for the freedoms of expression and belief, associational and organizational rights, rule of law, and personal autonomy without interference from the state. The more specific list of rights considered vary over the years. Countries are graded between 1 (most free) and 7 (least free).
More about this variableElectoral Process - The variable measures to what extent the national legislative representatives and the national chief authority are elected through free and fair elections. Countries are graded between 0 (worst) and 12 (best).
More about this variableFreedom of Expression and Belief - The variable measures the freedom and independence of the media and other cultural expressions; the freedom of religious groups to practice their faith and express themselves; the academic freedom and freedom from extensive political indoctrination in the educational system; and the ability of the people to engage in private (political) discussions without fear of harassment or arrest by the authorities. Countries are graded between 0 (worst) and 16 (best).
More about this variableFunctioning of Government - The variable examines to what extent the freely elected head of government and a national legislative representative determine the policies of the government; if the government is free from pervasive corruption; and if the government is accountable to the electorate between elections and operates with openness and transparency. Countries are graded between 0 (worst) and 12 (best).
More about this variablePersonal Autonomy and Individual Rights - The variable evaluates the extent of state control over travel, choice of residence, employment or institutions of higher education; the right of citizens to own property and establish private businesses; the private business' freedom from unduly influence by government officials, security forces, political parties or organized crime; gender equality, freedom of choice of marriage partners and size of family; equality of opportunity and absence of economic exploitation. Countries are graded between 0 (worst) and 16 (best).
More about this variablePolitical Pluralism and Participation - This variable encompasses an examination of the right of the people to freely organize in political parties; the existence of an opposition with a realistic possibility to increase its support; the ability of the people to make political choices free from domination by the military, totalitarian parties or other powerful groups; and the existence of full political rights for all minorities. Countries are graded between 0 (worst) and 16 (best).
More about this variablePolitical Rights Rating - Political rights enable people to participate freely in the political process, including the right to vote freely for distinct alternatives in legitimate elections, compete for public office, join political parties and organizations, and elect representatives who have a decisive impact on public policies and are accountable to the electorate. The specific list of rights considered varies over the years. Countries are graded between 1 (most free) and 7 (least free).
More about this variableRule of Law - The variable measures the independence of the judiciary; the extent to which rule of law prevails in civil and criminal matters; the existence of direct civil control over the police; the protection from political terror, unjustified imprisonment, exile and torture; absence of war and insurgencies; and the extent to which laws, policies and practices guarantee equal treatment of various segments of the population. Countries are graded between 0 (worst) and 16 (best).
More about this variable1. Free 2. Partly Free 3. Not Free Until 2003, countries whose combined average ratings for Political Rights and Civil Liberties fell between 1.0 and 2.5 were designated 'Free'; between 3.0 and 5.5 'Partly Free', and between 5.5 and 7.0 'Not Free'. Since then, countries whose ratings average 1.0 to 2.5 are considered 'Free', 3.0 to 5.0 'Partly Free', and 5.5 to 7.0 'Not Free'.
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