Human Rights Index in South Sudan
South Sudan: Human Rights Index was 0.228 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
0.228
Change on year
down 6.2%
World rank
160th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.479
in 1957
All-time low
0.082
in 1991
Years of data
190
1821–2025
Human Rights Index in South Sudan, 1821–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Sudan recorded 0.228 for human rights index in 2025.
The figure is down 6.2% on the previous year and up 32.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, human rights index in South Sudan peaked at 0.479 in 1957 and was at its lowest, 0.082, in 1991.
That places South Sudan 160th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 190 years of available data.
Human Rights Index in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1821 | 0.308 | — |
| 1822 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.317 | +2.9% |
| 1841 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.33 | +4.1% |
| 1843 | 0.33 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.33 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.33 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.33 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.33 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.33 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 0.35 | +6.1% |
| 1850 | 0.336 | -4.0% |
| 1851 | 0.364 | +8.3% |
| 1852 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.364 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 0.374 | +2.7% |
| 1871 | 0.374 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.374 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.374 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.374 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.374 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.374 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.38 | +1.6% |
| 1878 | 0.397 | +4.5% |
| 1879 | 0.421 | +6.0% |
| 1880 | 0.421 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.407 | -3.3% |
| 1882 | 0.396 | -2.7% |
| 1883 | 0.396 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.396 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.235 | -40.7% |
| 1901 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.236 | +0.4% |
| 1918 | 0.236 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.236 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.237 | +0.4% |
| 1921 | 0.256 | +8.0% |
| 1922 | 0.256 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.256 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.246 | -3.9% |
| 1925 | 0.246 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.256 | +4.1% |
| 1927 | 0.255 | -0.4% |
| 1928 | 0.262 | +2.7% |
| 1929 | 0.262 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.266 | +1.5% |
| 1931 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.265 | -0.4% |
| 1945 | 0.269 | +1.5% |
| 1946 | 0.269 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.272 | +1.1% |
| 1948 | 0.272 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.272 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.274 | +0.7% |
| 1951 | 0.274 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.274 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.443 | +61.7% |
| 1954 | 0.445 | +0.5% |
| 1955 | 0.433 | -2.7% |
| 1956 | 0.476 | +9.9% |
| 1957 | 0.479 | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 0.466 | -2.7% |
| 1959 | 0.253 | -45.7% |
| 1960 | 0.235 | -7.1% |
| 1961 | 0.235 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.23 | -2.1% |
| 1963 | 0.229 | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 0.342 | +49.3% |
| 1965 | 0.444 | +29.8% |
| 1966 | 0.444 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.444 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.444 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.205 | -53.8% |
| 1970 | 0.204 | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 0.202 | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 0.206 | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 0.208 | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 0.212 | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 0.212 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.212 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.212 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.215 | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 0.223 | +3.7% |
| 1980 | 0.243 | +9.0% |
| 1981 | 0.243 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.239 | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 0.231 | -3.3% |
| 1984 | 0.244 | +5.6% |
| 1985 | 0.418 | +71.3% |
| 1986 | 0.46 | +10.0% |
| 1987 | 0.46 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.435 | -5.4% |
| 1989 | 0.171 | -60.7% |
| 1990 | 0.083 | -51.5% |
| 1991 | 0.082 | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 0.084 | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 0.084 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.087 | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 0.087 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.088 | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 0.088 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.088 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.088 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.098 | +11.4% |
| 2001 | 0.1 | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 0.098 | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 0.097 | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 0.132 | +36.1% |
| 2005 | 0.145 | +9.8% |
| 2006 | 0.151 | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 0.153 | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 0.156 | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 0.158 | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 0.151 | -4.4% |
| 2011 | 0.316 | +109.3% |
| 2012 | 0.314 | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 0.204 | -35.0% |
| 2014 | 0.158 | -22.5% |
| 2015 | 0.172 | +8.9% |
| 2016 | 0.137 | -20.3% |
| 2017 | 0.124 | -9.5% |
| 2018 | 0.14 | +12.9% |
| 2019 | 0.199 | +42.1% |
| 2020 | 0.186 | -6.5% |
| 2021 | 0.202 | +8.6% |
| 2022 | 0.173 | -14.4% |
| 2023 | 0.218 | +26.0% |
| 2024 | 0.243 | +11.5% |
| 2025 | 0.228 | -6.2% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's 0.228 is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.42, 54% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's 0.228 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.6165, 37% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.308 | 0.308 | 0.308 | 9 |
| 1830s | 0.308 | 0.308 | 0.308 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.3294 | 0.317 | 0.35 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.3612 | 0.336 | 0.364 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.364 | 0.364 | 0.364 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.3816 | 0.374 | 0.421 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.4032 | 0.396 | 0.421 | 5 |
| 1900s | 0.235 | 0.235 | 0.235 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.2353 | 0.235 | 0.236 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.2532 | 0.237 | 0.262 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.266 | 0.266 | 0.266 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.2683 | 0.265 | 0.272 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.3817 | 0.253 | 0.479 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.3252 | 0.205 | 0.444 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2106 | 0.202 | 0.223 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3144 | 0.171 | 0.46 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0859 | 0.082 | 0.088 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1288 | 0.097 | 0.158 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1915 | 0.124 | 0.316 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2083 | 0.173 | 0.243 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
More social development data for South Sudan
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 601,818 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.39 million (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.1958 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.39 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0494 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
Frequently asked questions
- What is human rights index in South Sudan?
- Human rights index in South Sudan was 0.228 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest human rights index recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.479 in 1957.
- What is the lowest human rights index recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.082 in 1991.
- How does South Sudan rank for human rights index?
- South Sudan ranks 160th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is human rights index rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Sudan 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 — 190 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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.