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2018 Social Progress Index Highlights

SHARP DECLINE IN RIGHTS & INCLUSION MARS GLOBAL PROGRESS

  • The world situation strengthens generally on the aggregate of 51 measures of social progress but so many setbacks in the factors of Rights and Inclusion –
  • Largest advancements in Africa and Asia –
  • US is among those countries whose overall marks are down this time. It lost the most in Rights and Inclusion –
  • The UK recorded a steep decrease in Inclusion post-Brexit

Figures released today indicate a noticeable turnout for the worse of human rights and inclusion worldwide. As for Personal Rights (including both Political Rights and Personal Liberties) 75 of the 146 ranked countries experienced deterioration. On Inclusiveness (including the acceptance of gays and lesbians and the issues like violence of minorities), 56 of the 146 ranked countries witnessed declines.

Nation-wide, things are quite better, with 133 of the 146 countries globally spending a lot of money on social progress and thus showing overall improvements and the major winners are Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa where the Gambia and Nepal are the bright stars. The USA, however, is worsening its social progress and it is alongside Turkey and Yemen that are also in this state.

Our 2018 Social Progress Index, which was prepared by the Social Progress Imperative based in the US, sheds light on the social performance of 146 countries in the past five years (2014-18) using 51 indicators that covered areas like Nutrition, Shelter, Safety, Education, Health, as well as Rights and Inclusiveness.

The fresh information shows:

  • Personal rights have decreased globally. The average score for the entire world fell from 22 out of 100 in 2014 to 61.34 out of 100 in 2018. From a global ranking of 95.97 out of 100 in 2014 to 92.15 out of 100 in 2018, the United States has declined from 16th place in 2014 to 31st place, behind Chile, Italy, and Spain, based only on personal rights.
  • Inclusivity has decreased globally. From a score of 25 out of 100 in 2014 to 40.17 out of 100 in 2018, the global average fell. Due to growing gender inequality and more discrimination against minorities, the US has fallen from 67.88/100 to 61.49/100. From 21st in 2014 to 31st in the world, it is now less inclusive than countries like Greece, Cuba, and Japan.
  • However, the world has improved overall. The Social Progress Index’s population-weighted global score increased by 1.66 points, from 61.80/100 in 2014 to 63.46/100 in 2018. The three areas that saw the most advances worldwide over the previous five years were access to advanced education, information and communications, and shelter.
  • With a score of 90.26 out of 100, Norway is ranked first in the 2018 Social Progress Index, demonstrating excellent performance in every index component. Norway has outperformed its Nordic rivals, improving by 1.50 points since 2014. Although the Central African Republic has improved by 2 points since 2014, it still ranks 146th on the 2018 Social Progress Index (26.01/100). Japan is the top-performing G7 nation (89.74/100, rank 6), followed by Germany (89.21/100, rank 9), the United Kingdom, and Canada, all of which are in the top performance tier. In the second tier are the US, France, and Italy. Even while wealthier nations typically do better, GDP per capita does not fully account for the outcomes.
  • The US is one of just six nations worldwide that have regressed. Between 2014 and 2018, the US fell from 70/100 to 84.78/100. Currently, it is slightly above the Czech Republic and below Slovenia. Declines in health, education, personal safety, personal rights, and inclusivity are the main causes of the overall deterioration. Its Health & Wellness scores (71.97, rank 37) are similar to Ecuador’s (71.94, rank 38), even though it spends more on healthcare than any other nation. Additionally, the US educational system is achieving outcomes comparable to those of Uzbekistan (92.10, rank 48) with a score of 91.87, ranking 50th on Access to Basic Knowledge.
  • The poorest nations improve more quickly, whereas the richest nations advance more slowly. Although all 30 of the nations with the top Social Progress Index rankings have high incomes, just two—South Korea and Luxembourg—have seen notable progress since 2014. On the other hand, low- and lower-middle-income nations have seen the most improvement over the last five years; the largest winners are Nepal, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Pakistan.

Michael Green, CEO of Social Progress Imperative, commented on the global results, saying:

“The way that the quality of life is evolving globally appears to be a progress paradox. On the one hand, we witness significant advancements in the fight against hunger and sickness, as well as the provision of basic infrastructure to individuals in less developed nations. At the same time, intolerance is spreading and rights are being undermined in many nations, both wealthy and poor.

It is also evident that, despite the fact that wealthier nations are at the top of the rankings, social advancement is not solely determined by GDP. From wealthy to impoverished, we observe that certain nations are far more adept than others at converting economic expansion into social advancement.”

Professor Michael E. Porter, chair of the Social Progress Imperative Advisory Board, offered the following commentary on the US results:

“The US is currently experiencing a protracted economic expansion that developed slowly following the Great Recession, according to the headline economic metrics of GDP growth, the unemployment rate, and the stock market. However, a closer examination of US performance reveals much less reason for celebration.

America is stuck in a recession of social progress. The quality of life and prospects for many Americans are falling behind, according to data from the Social Progress Index, the first comprehensive assessment of social performance across all major nations and a wide range of metrics.”

Michael Green, CEO of Social Progress Imperative, commented on the UK figures, saying:

“Like many European nations, the UK is only making slight progress in terms of socioeconomic advancement. The primary benefits, in our opinion, are the continuously expanding access to higher education and the internet. However, inclusivity has also significantly declined. We observe a decline in policies promoting acceptance of gays and lesbians, as well as a rise in violence and discrimination against minorities, especially since the 2016 EU Referendum.”

David Cruickshank, a board member of the Social Progress Imperative and Global Chairman of Deloitte, stated:

“As society and business face a period of upheaval and change, corporate leaders today are recognizing the significance of societal impact as a commercial focus, which is more crucial than ever before. At Deloitte, we think that in order to advance policies and programs that aim to address and enhance societal well-being, business should actively work with groups like the Social Progress Imperative. Making a significant influence requires measuring societal impact. We can assess our efforts and go beyond economic statistics as the only way to measure social progress thanks to the Social Progress Index.”

Notes to Editors:

  • Top 10 Overall, Bottom 10 Overall. Top: Norway (1), Iceland (2), Switzerland (3), Denmark (4), Finland (5), Japan (6), Netherlands (7), Luxembourg (8), Germany (9), New Zealand (10) Bottom: Central African Republic (146), Chad (145), Afghanistan (144), Eritrea (143), Democratic Republic of Congo (142), Niger (141), Yemen (140), Burundi (139), Papua New Guinea (138), Sudan (137)
  • Top 10 Inclusive, Bottom 10 Inclusive. Top: Finland (1), Norway (2), Sweden (3), Iceland (4), Denmark (5), Luxembourg (6), Ireland (7), Netherlands (8), Switzerland (9), Germany (10). Bottom: Tajikistan (146), Sudan (145), Yemen (144), Saudi Arabia (143), Chad (142), Mauritania (141), Egypt (140), Iran (139), Ethiopia (138), Burundi (137)
  • Top 10 Personal Rights, Bottom 10 Personal Rights. Top: Norway (1), Denmark (2), Portugal (3), New Zealand (4), Germany (5), Netherlands (6), Finland (7), Ireland (8), Switzerland (9), Sweden (10) Bottom: Eritrea (146), Yemen (145), Saudi Arabia (144), Laos (143), China (142), Equatorial Guinea (141), Tajikistan (140), Sudan (139), Uzbekistan (138), Swaziland (137)
  • 13 nations not improved. Declined: Yemen, Thailand, Turkey, US, Brazil, Mauritania. Stagnated: Dominican Republic, Montenegro, Sweden, Costa Rica, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland.
  • UK Inclusiveness has fallen from 47/100 in 2014 to 62.77/100 in 2018, driven by falls in the Acceptance of gays and lesbians Indicator from 76.91/100 in 2014 to 74.95/100 in 2018.