Freedom in the World 2023: Marking 50 Years in the Struggle for Democracy

Exclusive HRFN Briefing from Freedom House.

Watch Recording

HRFN and Freedom House held a briefing on the findings of Freedom in the World 2023: Marking 50 Years in the Struggle for Democracy and conducted a discussion on how trends in democratic norms and fundamental freedoms can be used for forecasting and to guide programmatic decisions.

Freedom House’s landmark report notes that global freedom deteriorated for a 17th consecutive year in 2022. But the gap between countries with improvements and those registering declines was the narrowest it has ever been since the downward trend in global freedom began in the mid-2000s. While Moscow’s war of aggression in Ukraine, coups, and other attacks on democratic institutions in Brazil, Burkina Faso, Peru, and Tunisia, continue to threaten democracy and human rights, competitive elections in Latin America and Africa give hope for future progress. The data show that the demand for freedom is enduring even in the most repressive environments but that attacks on civil liberties, and specifically attacks on freedom of expression, threaten democracy and human rights globally. Join us for a conversation about how such data and analysis can be incorporated into futures planning and crisis preparedness.

Speakers & Discussants:

• Amy Slipowitz, Freedom in the World 2023 report co-author and Research Manager
• Danya Greenfield, Senior Program Manager • Emergency Assistance Program
• Sheryl Mendez, Senior Program Manager, Global Fund for Human Rights Defenders • Emergency Assistance Program
• Kellea Miller, Executive Director, Human Rights Funders Network (Q&A moderation)