What is human rights index in Belgium?

Human rights index in Belgium was 0.955 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest human rights index recorded in Belgium?

The highest recorded value was 0.966 in 2013.

What is the lowest human rights index recorded in Belgium?

The lowest recorded value was 0.366 in 1800.

How does Belgium rank for human rights index?

Belgium ranks 5th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is human rights index rising or falling in Belgium?

Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Belgium data come from?

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

Human Rights Index in Belgium

Name: Human Rights Index in Belgium
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Belgium: Human Rights Index was 0.955 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.955

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

5th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.966

in 2013

All-time low

0.366

in 1800

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Human Rights Index in Belgium, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, human rights index in Belgium stood at 0.955.

That represents a change of down 0.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, human rights index in Belgium peaked at 0.966 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.366, in 1800.

That places Belgium 5th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.495	0.495	0.495	1
1790s	0.4978	0.399	0.556	10
1800s	0.3921	0.366	0.395	10
1810s	0.5257	0.367	0.667	10
1820s	0.667	0.667	0.667	10
1830s	0.7091	0.624	0.729	10
1840s	0.8265	0.822	0.837	10
1850s	0.837	0.837	0.837	10
1860s	0.837	0.837	0.837	10
1870s	0.837	0.837	0.837	10
1880s	0.8338	0.829	0.837	10
1890s	0.8406	0.829	0.847	10
1900s	0.8488	0.836	0.852	10
1910s	0.6823	0.515	0.836	10
1920s	0.853	0.853	0.853	10
1930s	0.8565	0.85	0.861	10
1940s	0.6707	0.4	0.926	10
1950s	0.9305	0.92	0.939	10
1960s	0.945	0.934	0.948	10
1970s	0.9524	0.95	0.953	10
1980s	0.9553	0.955	0.957	10
1990s	0.9627	0.953	0.965	10
2000s	0.9645	0.963	0.965	10
2010s	0.9634	0.961	0.966	10
2020s	0.9547	0.952	0.956	6

Countries ranked near Belgium

2 Sweden 0.96 compare
3 Denmark 0.959 compare
6 Iceland 0.95 compare
6 Switzerland 0.95 compare
8 Czechia 0.948 compare
8 New Zealand 0.948 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Belgium

Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 186,393 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 113 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Key features of democracy 0.889 (2025)
Freedom of Expression Index 0.969 (2025)
Freedom of Association Index 0.896 (2025)
Electoral Democracy Index 0.889 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.633 (2025)
Liberal Democracy Index 0.794 (2025)

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is human rights index in Belgium?: Human rights index in Belgium was 0.955 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest human rights index recorded in Belgium?: The highest recorded value was 0.966 in 2013.
What is the lowest human rights index recorded in Belgium?: The lowest recorded value was 0.366 in 1800.
How does Belgium rank for human rights index?: Belgium ranks 5th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is human rights index rising or falling in Belgium?: Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Belgium data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Human Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Human Rights Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,202 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people are free from government torture, political killings, and forced labor, they have property rights, and enjoy the freedoms of movement, religion, expression, and association.