What is human rights index in Malawi?

Human rights index in Malawi was 0.806 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest human rights index recorded in Malawi?

The highest recorded value was 0.872 in 2021.

What is the lowest human rights index recorded in Malawi?

The lowest recorded value was 0.061 in 1915.

How does Malawi rank for human rights index?

Malawi ranks 72nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is human rights index rising or falling in Malawi?

Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Malawi 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 Malawi

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

Malawi: Human Rights Index was 0.806 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.806

Change on year

up 1.3%

World rank

72nd

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.872

in 2021

All-time low

0.061

in 1915

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Human Rights Index in Malawi, 1900–2025

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for human rights index in Malawi is 0.806, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, human rights index in Malawi peaked at 0.872 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.061, in 1915.

Malawi ranks 72nd of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.064	0.064	0.064	10
1910s	0.0637	0.061	0.064	10
1920s	0.065	0.064	0.069	10
1930s	0.069	0.069	0.069	10
1940s	0.0714	0.069	0.073	10
1950s	0.0762	0.073	0.083	10
1960s	0.114	0.083	0.154	10
1970s	0.0877	0.083	0.09	10
1980s	0.09	0.09	0.09	10
1990s	0.3751	0.087	0.6	10
2000s	0.6876	0.612	0.728	10
2010s	0.7802	0.724	0.831	10
2020s	0.8257	0.79	0.872	6

Countries ranked near Malawi

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Malawi

Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 35,241 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 551 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Key features of democracy 0.557 (2025)
Freedom of Expression Index 0.754 (2025)
Freedom of Association Index 0.767 (2025)
Electoral Democracy Index 0.557 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.366 (2025)
Liberal Democracy Index 0.462 (2025)

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is human rights index in Malawi?: Human rights index in Malawi was 0.806 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest human rights index recorded in Malawi?: The highest recorded value was 0.872 in 2021.
What is the lowest human rights index recorded in Malawi?: The lowest recorded value was 0.061 in 1915.
How does Malawi rank for human rights index?: Malawi ranks 72nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is human rights index rising or falling in Malawi?: Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malawi 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 — 126 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.