Key features of human rights in South Africa
South Africa: Key features of human rights was 0.857 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.857
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
54th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.867
in 2010
All-time low
0.121
in 1980
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key features of human rights in South Africa, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key features of human rights in South Africa stood at 0.857.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of human rights in South Africa peaked at 0.867 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.121, in 1980.
South Africa ranks 54th 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.285 | — |
| 1901 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.29 | +1.8% |
| 1911 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.292 | +0.7% |
| 1932 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.282 | -3.4% |
| 1948 | 0.195 | -30.9% |
| 1949 | 0.181 | -7.2% |
| 1950 | 0.174 | -3.9% |
| 1951 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.148 | -14.9% |
| 1961 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.142 | -4.1% |
| 1963 | 0.142 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.137 | -3.5% |
| 1965 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.136 | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 0.136 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.136 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.136 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.134 | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 0.134 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.131 | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 0.126 | -3.8% |
| 1978 | 0.126 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.126 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.121 | -4.0% |
| 1981 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.125 | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 0.126 | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 0.126 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.128 | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 0.135 | +5.5% |
| 1990 | 0.248 | +83.7% |
| 1991 | 0.291 | +17.3% |
| 1992 | 0.291 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.304 | +4.5% |
| 1994 | 0.584 | +92.1% |
| 1995 | 0.85 | +45.5% |
| 1996 | 0.859 | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.86 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 0.86 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.858 | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 0.859 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 0.867 | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 0.866 | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 0.861 | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 0.859 | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 0.857 | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 0.867 | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 0.867 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.843 | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 0.851 | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 0.836 | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 0.826 | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 0.838 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 0.828 | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 0.85 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 0.867 | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 0.857 | -1.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.857 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.7345, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.857 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 | 0.285 | 0.285 | 0.285 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.29 | 0.29 | 0.29 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.29 | 0.29 | 0.29 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.2918 | 0.29 | 0.292 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.2702 | 0.181 | 0.292 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.174 | 0.174 | 0.174 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1402 | 0.137 | 0.148 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1321 | 0.126 | 0.136 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1245 | 0.121 | 0.135 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6004 | 0.248 | 0.859 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8591 | 0.858 | 0.86 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8574 | 0.836 | 0.867 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8443 | 0.826 | 0.867 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key features of human rights in South Africa?
- Key features of human rights in South Africa was 0.857 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of human rights recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.867 in 2010.
- What is the lowest key features of human rights recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.121 in 1980.
- How does South Africa rank for key features of human rights?
- South Africa ranks 54th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of human rights rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. 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 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.