LGBT+ Rights Index in South Sudan
South Sudan: LGBT+ Rights Index was -1.73 in 2025. ▼ Falling
LGBT+ Rights Index in South Sudan, 1991–2025
Source: Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, lgbt+ rights index in South Sudan stood at -1.73. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lgbt+ rights index in South Sudan peaked at -0.6625 in 2008 and was at its lowest, -1.73, in 2023.
South Sudan ranks 163rd of 194 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
LGBT+ Rights Index in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 0.0719 | — |
| 1992 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.0719 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.6625 | -1021.7% |
| 2009 | -0.6625 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.6625 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -1.66 | +150.9% |
| 2012 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 2021 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -1.66 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -1.73 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | -1.73 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -1.73 | -0.0% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's -1.73 is below the median for low income countries, which is -1.52, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's -1.73 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.6687, 2.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0719 | 0.0719 | 0.0719 | 9 |
| 2000s | -0.075 | -0.6625 | 0.0719 | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.56 | -1.66 | -0.6625 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.69 | -1.73 | -1.66 | 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 lgbt+ rights index in South Sudan?
- Lgbt+ rights index in South Sudan was -1.73 in 2025, according to Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lgbt+ rights index recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was -0.6625 in 2008.
- What is the lowest lgbt+ rights index recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.73 in 2023.
- How does South Sudan rank for lgbt+ rights index?
- South Sudan ranks 163rd out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lgbt+ rights index rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Sudan data come from?
- The figures come from Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of LGBT+ Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Summary measure of a country's LGBTI-related laws, calculated by subtracting the sum of its regressive policy scores from the sum of its progressive policy scores.