What is equal rights protection index in South Africa?

Equal rights protection index in South Africa was 0.74 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest equal rights protection index recorded in South Africa?

The highest recorded value was 0.761 in 2013.

What is the lowest equal rights protection index recorded in South Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 0.03 in 1949.

How does South Africa rank for equal rights protection index?

South Africa ranks 60th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is equal rights protection index rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this South Africa data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Equal Rights Protection Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Equal Rights Protection Index in South Africa

Name: Equal Rights Protection Index in South Africa
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Africa: Equal Rights Protection Index was 0.74 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.74

Change on year

down 1.2%

World rank

60th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.761

in 2013

All-time low

0.03

in 1949

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Equal Rights Protection Index in South Africa, 1900–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, equal rights protection index in South Africa stood at 0.74.

That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, equal rights protection index in South Africa peaked at 0.761 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.03, in 1949.

That places South Africa 60th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Equal Rights Protection Index in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Equal Rights Protection Index in South Africa, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.046	—
1901	0.046	+0.0%
1902	0.046	+0.0%
1903	0.046	+0.0%
1904	0.046	+0.0%
1905	0.046	+0.0%
1906	0.046	+0.0%
1907	0.046	+0.0%
1908	0.046	+0.0%
1909	0.046	+0.0%
1910	0.046	+0.0%
1911	0.046	+0.0%
1912	0.046	+0.0%
1913	0.046	+0.0%
1914	0.046	+0.0%
1915	0.046	+0.0%
1916	0.046	+0.0%
1917	0.046	+0.0%
1918	0.046	+0.0%
1919	0.046	+0.0%
1920	0.046	+0.0%
1921	0.046	+0.0%
1922	0.046	+0.0%
1923	0.046	+0.0%
1924	0.046	+0.0%
1925	0.046	+0.0%
1926	0.046	+0.0%
1927	0.046	+0.0%
1928	0.046	+0.0%
1929	0.046	+0.0%
1930	0.046	+0.0%
1931	0.046	+0.0%
1932	0.046	+0.0%
1933	0.046	+0.0%
1934	0.046	+0.0%
1935	0.046	+0.0%
1936	0.046	+0.0%
1937	0.046	+0.0%
1938	0.046	+0.0%
1939	0.046	+0.0%
1940	0.046	+0.0%
1941	0.046	+0.0%
1942	0.046	+0.0%
1943	0.046	+0.0%
1944	0.046	+0.0%
1945	0.046	+0.0%
1946	0.046	+0.0%
1947	0.046	+0.0%
1948	0.046	+0.0%
1949	0.03	-34.8%
1950	0.032	+6.7%
1951	0.032	+0.0%
1952	0.032	+0.0%
1953	0.032	+0.0%
1954	0.032	+0.0%
1955	0.032	+0.0%
1956	0.032	+0.0%
1957	0.032	+0.0%
1958	0.032	+0.0%
1959	0.032	+0.0%
1960	0.032	+0.0%
1961	0.032	+0.0%
1962	0.032	+0.0%
1963	0.032	+0.0%
1964	0.032	+0.0%
1965	0.032	+0.0%
1966	0.032	+0.0%
1967	0.032	+0.0%
1968	0.032	+0.0%
1969	0.032	+0.0%
1970	0.032	+0.0%
1971	0.032	+0.0%
1972	0.032	+0.0%
1973	0.032	+0.0%
1974	0.032	+0.0%
1975	0.032	+0.0%
1976	0.032	+0.0%
1977	0.032	+0.0%
1978	0.032	+0.0%
1979	0.032	+0.0%
1980	0.032	+0.0%
1981	0.032	+0.0%
1982	0.032	+0.0%
1983	0.032	+0.0%
1984	0.032	+0.0%
1985	0.032	+0.0%
1986	0.032	+0.0%
1987	0.032	+0.0%
1988	0.032	+0.0%
1989	0.032	+0.0%
1990	0.038	+18.7%
1991	0.038	+0.0%
1992	0.038	+0.0%
1993	0.038	+0.0%
1994	0.719	+1792.1%
1995	0.753	+4.7%
1996	0.753	+0.0%
1997	0.753	+0.0%
1998	0.753	+0.0%
1999	0.753	+0.0%
2000	0.756	+0.4%
2001	0.756	+0.0%
2002	0.756	+0.0%
2003	0.756	+0.0%
2004	0.756	+0.0%
2005	0.756	+0.0%
2006	0.756	+0.0%
2007	0.756	+0.0%
2008	0.756	+0.0%
2009	0.756	+0.0%
2010	0.756	+0.0%
2011	0.756	+0.0%
2012	0.756	+0.0%
2013	0.761	+0.7%
2014	0.761	+0.0%
2015	0.741	-2.6%
2016	0.741	+0.0%
2017	0.745	+0.5%
2018	0.687	-7.8%
2019	0.734	+6.8%
2020	0.749	+2.0%
2021	0.756	+0.9%
2022	0.756	+0.0%
2023	0.751	-0.7%
2024	0.749	-0.3%
2025	0.74	-1.2%

South Africa compared with similar countries

South Africa's 0.74 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6235, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
South Africa's 0.74 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.6335, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.046	0.046	0.046	10
1910s	0.046	0.046	0.046	10
1920s	0.046	0.046	0.046	10
1930s	0.046	0.046	0.046	10
1940s	0.0444	0.03	0.046	10
1950s	0.032	0.032	0.032	10
1960s	0.032	0.032	0.032	10
1970s	0.032	0.032	0.032	10
1980s	0.032	0.032	0.032	10
1990s	0.4636	0.038	0.753	10
2000s	0.756	0.756	0.756	10
2010s	0.7438	0.687	0.761	10
2020s	0.7502	0.74	0.756	6

Countries ranked near South Africa

57 Croatia 0.743 compare
58 Montenegro 0.741 compare
58 Nigeria 0.741 compare
61 Belarus 0.737 compare
62 Gabon 0.734 compare
63 Malawi 0.733 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for South Africa

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 55,177 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (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 1,319 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0009 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is equal rights protection index in South Africa?: Equal rights protection index in South Africa was 0.74 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest equal rights protection index recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 0.761 in 2013.
What is the lowest equal rights protection index recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 0.03 in 1949.
How does South Africa rank for equal rights protection index?: South Africa ranks 60th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is equal rights protection index rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Equal Rights Protection Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Equal Rights Protection Index in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/equal-rights-protection-index/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator: Equal Rights Protection Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,496 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 30 October 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which the state protects the rights and freedoms across social groups equally.