Key features of human rights in Lesotho
Lesotho: Key features of human rights was 0.835 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key features of human rights in Lesotho, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key features of human rights in Lesotho stood at 0.835.
That represents a change of up 5.3% on the previous year and up 17.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of human rights in Lesotho peaked at 0.838 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.231, in 1910.
Lesotho ranks 65th 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.
Key features of human rights in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.233 | — |
| 1901 | 0.233 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.233 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.233 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.233 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.233 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.233 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.233 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.233 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.233 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.231 | -0.9% |
| 1911 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.243 | +5.2% |
| 1951 | 0.243 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.266 | +9.5% |
| 1953 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.314 | +18.0% |
| 1961 | 0.318 | +1.3% |
| 1962 | 0.318 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.318 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.322 | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 0.34 | +5.6% |
| 1966 | 0.529 | +55.6% |
| 1967 | 0.529 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.529 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.529 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.353 | -33.3% |
| 1971 | 0.336 | -4.8% |
| 1972 | 0.336 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.336 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.336 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.336 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.336 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.336 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.335 | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 0.359 | +7.2% |
| 1980 | 0.359 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.359 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.365 | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 0.358 | -1.9% |
| 1984 | 0.358 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.363 | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 0.388 | +6.9% |
| 1987 | 0.459 | +18.3% |
| 1988 | 0.462 | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 0.462 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.501 | +8.4% |
| 1991 | 0.505 | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 0.542 | +7.3% |
| 1993 | 0.724 | +33.6% |
| 1994 | 0.727 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 0.744 | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 0.744 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.744 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.735 | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 0.761 | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 0.756 | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 0.756 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.756 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.759 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 0.76 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 0.76 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.764 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 0.764 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.771 | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 0.769 | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 0.792 | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 0.792 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.789 | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 0.785 | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 0.794 | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 0.71 | -10.6% |
| 2016 | 0.682 | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 0.697 | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 0.761 | +9.2% |
| 2019 | 0.752 | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 0.806 | +7.2% |
| 2021 | 0.807 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 0.838 | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 0.806 | -3.8% |
| 2024 | 0.793 | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 0.835 | +5.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 0.835 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.6365, 1.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 0.835 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.6165, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.233 | 0.233 | 0.233 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.231 | 0.231 | 0.231 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.231 | 0.231 | 0.231 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.231 | 0.231 | 0.231 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.231 | 0.231 | 0.231 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.2614 | 0.243 | 0.266 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.4046 | 0.314 | 0.529 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.3399 | 0.335 | 0.359 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3933 | 0.358 | 0.462 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6727 | 0.501 | 0.761 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7615 | 0.756 | 0.771 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7554 | 0.682 | 0.794 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8142 | 0.793 | 0.838 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More social development data for Lesotho
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 478 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 27 (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 27 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 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 key features of human rights in Lesotho?
- Key features of human rights in Lesotho was 0.835 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of human rights recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 0.838 in 2022.
- What is the lowest key features of human rights recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.231 in 1910.
- How does Lesotho rank for key features of human rights?
- Lesotho ranks 65th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of human rights rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key features of human rights. 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
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.