Decline of Press Freedom: Almost 7 billion individuals globally lack comprehensive civil liberties; an Atlas of Civil Society report issues alarm over worldwide assault on democracy and human rights.
IRRESISTIBLE INSIGHTSIn the realm of civil liberties, only a scant 40 nations representing a mere 3.5% of the world's populace shine as beacons of hope, according to data from the Atlas of Civil Society report published by Brot fur die Welt.
This damning report paints a picture of democracy and human rights teetering on the brink, facing relentless attacks across the globe.
BASELINEIn the "open" category, 284 million people enjoy the privilege of purse-string loosening legal structures, unfettered public assembly rights, unbounded information access, and uninhibited dissemination. Among the lucky few are Austria, Estonia, the Scandinavian countries, New Zealand, and Jamaica.
Pushing the canon of civil rights are 42 countries, accounting for 11.1% of the global population, in the "impaired" category. This group includes Germany, Slovakia, Argentina, and no less than the United States. Here, personal liberties are largely respected, but with some incidents of infringement documented.
However, the grim story doesn't end there. A sobering 85% of the global populace resides within lands where civil society grows like a crippled sapling, alternately suppressed, restricted, or extinguished. This calamity befalls nearly 7 billion souls.
INTRUDER ALERTCivil rights cruelly crippled befall 115 countries, stretching across the globe. The darkest examples of this global plague include several European countries, such as Greece, the United Kingdom, Hungary, and Ukraine.
Digging deeper, civil society suffers in 51 countries, where critics face monitoring, imprisonment, or assassination, while governments enforce censorship to suffocate free speech. Algeria, Mexico, and Turkey top this list.
Lastly, the iron grip of repression can be felt in Russia and 28 other nations, where dissent against the government or regime triggers brutal reprisals.
ALL ABOARDBrot fur die Welt mined data from the Civicus network of global civil society organisations to compile their annual report covering 197 countries and territories.
Last year, let's add a touch of reassurance, nine countries improved their freedom of expression ratings, encompassing Jamaica, Japan, Slovenia, Trinidad and Tobago, Botswana, Fiji, Liberia, Poland, and Bangladesh.
Conversely, there's no good news to share when delving into the tragedy of nine countries downgraded from the previous year, including Georgia, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Peru, Ethiopia, Eswatini, the Netherlands, Mongolia, and the Palestinian territory.
HEED THIS WARNINGWringing out the last shreds of optimism, Dagmar Pruin, president of Brot fur die Welt, warned, "The rule of law, the separation of powers, and protection against state arbitrariness are under threat or no longer exist in more and more countries."
Join Al Jazeera to stay informed about the rapidly shifting global political landscape and stand in solidarity with those fighting for their freedom.
- The breaking news of the Atlas of Civil Society report published by Brot fur die Welt reveals a dire situation for human rights across the globe, with democracy and human rights under attack in most countries.
- In the realm of policy-and-legislation, it's disheartening to note that 85% of the world's population lives in countries where civil society is either suppressed, restricted, or extinguished, a situation that affects nearly 7 billion people.
- Political developments, as seen in the data from Brot fur die Welt's report, show a significant challenge to general-news items such as freedom of expression, with 115 countries worldwide experiencing human rights violations, including countries like Greece, the United Kingdom, Hungary, and Ukraine.
