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Expanding freedom and democracy.

Freedom in the World 2021
Freedom in the World 2021

Democracy under Siege

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Freedom House is founded on the core conviction that freedom flourishes in democratic nations where governments are accountable to their people.

Freedom in the World 2021

Freedom in the World 2021: Democracy under Siege

Authoritarian actors grew bolder during 2020 as major democracies turned inward, contributing to the 15th consecutive year of decline in global freedom, according to Freedom in the World 2021, the annual country-by-country assessment of political rights and civil liberties released by Freedom House.

View the Report
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Out of Sight, Not Out of Reach: Understanding Transnational Repression

Dozens of governments around the world systemically employ violence against exiles and diasporas, reaching beyond national borders to silence dissent.

Learn More

Our Issues

Humanitarian activists hold a poster with a picture of Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist who was killed in Turkey. Makassar, Indonesia. 18 October 2018. Editorial credit: Herwin Bahar / Shutterstock.com

Authoritarian Reach

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Democracy during Pandemic

Men using their mobile phones on a sidewalk. Johannesburg, South Africa. Editorial credit:  Sunshine Seeds / Shutterstock.com

Technology & Democracy

Hungarian people living in the English city marched silently through the streets in a show of solidarity with protesters in Hungary.  Bristol, England. 16 December 2018. Editorial credit: tviolet / Shutterstock.com

Democracies in Decline

United States Capitol Building. Washington, DC. Editorial credit: Darryl Brooks / Shutterstock.comL:

Promoting U.S. Leadership

A man inserts the inserts a voted ballot into the ballot box. Puglia, Italy. 26 May 2019. Editorial Credit: Editorial credit: Massimo Todaro / Shutterstock.com

Election Integrity

Two young indigenous men protesting holding banner "Stop the indigenous genocide", in march for the rights of the indigenous people.  São Paulo, Brazil. 1 January 2019. Editorial Credit: PARALAXIS / Shutterstock.com

Equality & Human Rights

Memorial to murdered journalist Daphne Carunana Galizia. Valletta, Malta. 16 November 2019. Editorial credit: Paul Mendoza / Shutterstock.com

Media Freedom

Detail of a copy of the Constitution of Venezuela. In the hands of a demonstrator against the government of Nicolás Maduro.  Venezuela.  Decmeber 2016. Editorial credit:  StringerAL / Shutterstock.com

Government Accountability & Transparency

Nanette Castillo, mother of a victim of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.  The Hague, Netherlands. 24 September 2019.  Editorial credit: Jofelle Tesorio / Shutterstock.com

Strengthening Civil Society

Police confrontation with civilians, as people are trying to get to the protest on Tverskaya Street.  Moscow, Russia. 27 July, 2019. Editorial credit:  Aleksandr Beliakov / Shutterstock.com

Freedom of Assembly

Teenaged man with taped mouth protesting censorship at demonstration against a new copyright law by European Union, "Artikel 13." Erfurt, Germany. 23 March 2019. Editorial credit:  Timo Nausch / Shutterstock.com

Freedom of Expression

Two indian muslim women with poster protests against controversial anti-muslim Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB CAA).  Mumbai, India. 19 December 2019. Editorial credit:  arun sambhu mishra / Shutterstock.com

Religious Freedom

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Latest Updates

Freedom in the World 2021

New Report: The global decline in democracy has accelerated

Press release

March 3, 2021

Freedom House

Freedom House Welcomes New Trustee

Press release

March 1, 2021

Ethiopian blogger civil society leader Befekadu Hailu

From Blogger to Civil Society Leader: Ethiopia’s Befekadu Hailu

Perspectives

February 23, 2021

In the Media

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The World’s Dictators Are Defeating Democracy opens in new tab

March 4, 2021

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Democracy is eroding around the world. Biden has his work cut out for him. opens in new tab

March 3, 2021

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The ‘Free World’ Keeps Shrinking opens in new tab

March 2, 2021

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