Sierra Leone Declines in 2023 Rule of Law Index , Ranks 110th Out of 142

The global rule of law has weakened for the sixth year in a row, with fundamental human rights seeing declines in three out of every four countries since 2016, as per the World Justice Project’s (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2023.

Sierraloaded understands that the 2023 Index indicates a decrease in the rule of law in 59% of the countries surveyed, encompassing Sierra Leone, which ranks 18th out of 34 regionally and 110th out of 142 globally. A noteworthy observation over the last seven years is the consistent drop in scores for “Constraints on Government Powers” in 74% of nations, signaling a waning capability of legislatures, judiciaries, and civil society to check executive power.

Although there was a continuation of authoritarian tendencies in 2023, the pace has somewhat decelerated. This year, 56% of countries saw constraints on government powers fall, a slight decrease from 58% in 2022 and a significant drop from 70% in 2021. A silver lining can be seen in the shrinking majority of nations (59%) witnessing overall rule of law declines this year, compared to 61% in 2022 and 74% in 2021.

However, the functionality of justice systems is deteriorating. 66% of nations, Sierra Leone included, reported a decline in Civil Justice scores, largely due to justice delays and weaker enforcement. Concurrently, 56% of countries observed a dip in Criminal Justice scores, a minute increase from 55% in the previous year.

William H. Neukom, WJP co-founder and president, commented, “The world is in a rule of law recession marked by excessive executive power, reduction of human rights, and faltering justice systems, causing global ramifications.”

Sierra Leone in Focus

Within Sub-Saharan Africa, Sierra Leone’s position is 18th out of 34 nations. Top performers in the region include Rwanda, ranking 41st globally, followed by Namibia and Mauritius. On the contrary, Mauritania, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo sit at the lower end of the spectrum, with the latter positioned 138th globally.

Out of the 34 nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, 20 witnessed a decline this past year, half of which also saw a decrease the year prior.

For countries with lower income, Sierra Leone is ranked 8th out of 18.

Global Rankings

Denmark tops the 2023 WJP Rule of Law Index, with Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Germany following closely. On the opposite end, Venezuela ranks the lowest, succeeded by Cambodia, Afghanistan, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Sierra Leone’s WJP Rule of Law Index rankings

Overall score global rank: 110 / 142

Overall score regional rank:  18 / 34

Factors score rankings:

(1 is best in WJP Rule of Law Index rankings)