Civil Rights Score in Zambia
Zambia: Civil Rights Score was 6 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Civil Rights Score in Zambia, 2005–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, civil rights score in Zambia stood at 6.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 20.0% on the previous year and up 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, civil rights score in Zambia peaked at 8 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 5, in 2013.
That places Zambia 31st out of 128 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Civil Rights Score in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 8 | — |
| 2007 | 6 | -25.0% |
| 2009 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 2011 | 6 | -14.3% |
| 2013 | 5 | -16.7% |
| 2015 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 6 | +20.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 6 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4, 1.5× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 6 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4, 1.5× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7 | 6 | 8 | 3 |
| 2010s | 5.2 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| 2020s | 5.33 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 31 Bolivia 6 compare
- 31 Cote d'Ivoire 6 compare
- 31 Ghana 6 compare
- 31 Hungary 6 compare
- 31 Indonesia 6 compare
- 31 Lebanon 6 compare
- 31 Lesotho 6 compare
- 31 Liberia 6 compare
- 31 Malawi 6 compare
- 31 Malaysia 6 compare
- 31 Namibia 6 compare
- 31 Nepal 6 compare
- 31 Panama 6 compare
- 31 Papua New Guinea 6 compare
- 31 Paraguay 6 compare
- 31 Peru 6 compare
- 31 Qatar 6 compare
- 31 Senegal 6 compare
- 31 Serbia 6 compare
- 31 Singapore 6 compare
- 31 Sri Lanka 6 compare
- 31 Ukraine 6 compare
More social development data for Zambia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 83,225 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 346 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 346 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0038 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is civil rights score in Zambia?
- Civil rights score in Zambia was 6 in 2025, according to Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest civil rights score recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 8 in 2005.
- What is the lowest civil rights score recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5 in 2013.
- How does Zambia rank for civil rights score?
- Zambia ranks 31st out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is civil rights score rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Civil Rights Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Indicates the extent to which civil rights are codified in law, and the state prosecutes any violations and works to prevent discrimination.