Rank countries with the worst human rights record
Executive summary
Multiple indices measure “worst” human‑rights records for different purposes; for worker rights the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) lists Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, Nigeria, the Philippines, Tunisia and Türkiye as the ten worst in 2025 (ITUC Global Rights Index) [1] [2]. Broader rights datasets—V‑Dem (via Our World in Data), Freedom House and Human Rights Watch—use different indicators and produce different country lists and narratives, so any single ranking depends on which rights and methodology you choose [3] [4] [5].
1. Different indexes, different definitions — why rankings diverge
Human‑rights rankings are methodological constructions: the ITUC Global Rights Index measures violations of internationally recognised labour and collective bargaining rights across 151 countries and explicitly produces a “worst for workers” list [1] [2]. V‑Dem’s Human Rights Index compresses many civil‑liberties and physical integrity indicators into a 0–1 scale and is presented by Our World in Data as a general human‑rights measure [3]. Freedom House scores focus on political rights and civil liberties and publishes “Not Free” designations and worst aggregate scorers [4] [6]. Human Rights Watch offers reporting and narrative country chapters highlighting crises such as Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and Myanmar [5]. Comparing lists without acknowledging these definitional gaps misleads readers.
2. The ITUC’s 2025 “worst for workers” list — who’s named and why
The ITUC paper and its summary identify ten countries as the worst for workers in 2025: Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, Nigeria, the Philippines, Tunisia and Türkiye [1] [7]. The Index ranks countries from 1 (best) to 5/5+ (no guarantee of rights) and documents trends such as more countries deteriorating than improving, and 51 countries rated 5 or 5+—a rise in places where labour rights “cannot be guaranteed” [2]. The ITUC’s mandate—trade union and labour rights advocacy—drives its emphasis on collective bargaining, strikes, union registration and employer/government interference.
3. Broader civil and political rights paint overlapping but not identical pictures
Where ITUC focuses on workplace freedoms, Freedom House and V‑Dem emphasize political rights, civil liberties and state violence. Freedom House’s “Not Free” and worst‑aggregate scorers list 17 particularly poor performers in 2025, and its framework covers elections, expression and rule of law rather than employer actions [6] [4]. V‑Dem’s human‑rights measures aggregate expert assessments of torture, political killings, forced labour and freedoms of movement, religion, expression and association—giving a different numerical ranking than labour‑specific lists [3]. Human Rights Watch complements these with investigative country narratives on crises worldwide [5].
4. What a single “worst” list would miss — context and nuance
A one‑line ranking masks critical differences: some states commit mass atrocities or systematic repression (flagged in Human Rights Watch and country reports), others criminalise unions or block collective bargaining (centred in ITUC analyses), while still others suffer state collapse or conflict-driven humanitarian emergencies (noted by HRW and OCHA summaries that underpin crisis reporting) [5] [1]. Sources do not provide a singular, cross‑index “worst overall” ranking combining labour, civil, political and physical‑integrity metrics; therefore such a composite is not found in current reporting (available sources do not mention a unified overall ranking).
5. Which sources serve which readers — use the right tool for the question
If your objective is to identify where workers face the harshest constraints, cite ITUC’s Global Rights Index and its ten‑country list [1] [2]. If you seek a broader political‑rights snapshot, consult Freedom House’s “Freedom in the World” summaries and worst‑aggregate scorers [6] [4]. For data‑driven cross‑national time series on many human‑rights dimensions, use V‑Dem via Our World in Data [3]. Human Rights Watch supplies qualitative crisis reporting and case studies where abuses are severe or widespread [5].
6. Practical takeaways and caveats for readers
Treat rankings as entry points, not verdicts. The ITUC list identifies severe restrictions on worker rights in ten named states in 2025—useful for supply‑chain risk and labour advocacy [1]. For policy, legal or humanitarian responses, triangulate ITUC with V‑Dem, Freedom House and NGO reporting because each source has explicit aims and blind spots [2] [3] [6] [5]. Finally, available sources do not offer a single authoritative “worst human‑rights country” list that blends all dimensions; any comprehensive claim beyond the provided indexes is not found in current reporting (available sources do not mention a unified overall ranking).