Jordan ranks 1st regionally, 94th globally on 2021 Human Freedom Index

AMMAN — Jordan ranked first regionally and 94th globally on the 2021 Human Freedom Index (HFI).

Co-published by the Fraser Institute and the Cato Institute, the 2021 Human Freedom Index measures personal freedom — the rule of law, safety and security, identity and relationships, freedom of movement, speech, assembly and religion — alongside economic freedom and the ability of individuals to make their own economic decisions.

“When people are free, they have more opportunity to prosper and pursue happier healthier lives for themselves and their families,” said Fred McMahon, resident fellow at the Fraser Institute and co-author of this year’s Human Freedom Index.

Representing 98.1 per cent of the world’s population, the index covers the period from 2008, which is the earliest year of comprehensive data, to 2019, the most recent year of comprehensive data.

The index also shows that there is an unequal distribution of freedom in the world, adding that freedom plays an important role in human wellbeing.

The Kingdom ranked 50th in economic freedom, and 115th in personal freedom, which are sub-categories in the seventh annual index, which showed that 83 per cent of the world’s population live in countries where freedom declined.

“Jordan is making clear progress in the area of freedom and justice,” Balqees Wasfi, a Jordanian life coach who is also experienced in the human rights and freedoms arena, told The Jordan Times on Monday.

Wasfi said that the index is important as it makes it possible for people to be more familiar with the status of world states in regard to freedoms.

Switzerland topped this year’s freedom index followed by New Zealand, Denmark, Estonia and Ireland. The five least-free countries are (in descending order) Egypt, Sudan, Yemen, Venezuela and Syria.