Human Rights and Freedom in Chad

https://www.humantruth.info/chad_human_rights_and_freedom.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2022

#Chad #chad_human_rights #christianity #human_rights #islam

Chad Republic of Chad [Country Profile Page]
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	194th best
Capital	N'Djamena
Land Area	1 259 200km²₁
Location	Africa
Population	15.5m₂
Life Expectancy	52.53yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$1 364 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	TD, TCD, 148₅
Internet Domain	.td₆
Currency	Franc (XAF)₇
Telephone	+235₈

Chad is amongst the worst places in the world at ensuring human rights and freedom, and it has severe cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. Chad does worse than average when it comes to its nominal commitment to Human Rights₉, LGBT equality₁₀ (still high for Africa) with homosexual relations being illegal₁₁, supporting press freedom₁₂, freethought₁₃ and in its average Freedom in the World rating. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 for supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₁₄, eliminating modern slavery₁₅ and in opposing gender inequality₁₆ (amongst the worst in Africa) with the horrendous practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) having been enacted upon half of all women, both Muslim and Christian₁₁. Although the Constitution says the state should be secular, some policies favor Islam₁₇

1. Chad's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#chad #equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Compared to Africa (2025)₁₈
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₈
1	S. Africa	55.8
2	Seychelles	64.8
3	Cape Verde	66.8
	...
42	Burundi	130.4
43	Congo, DR	130.9
44	Zimbabwe	134.5
45	Chad	134.6
46	Equatorial Guinea	135.4
47	Angola	136.1
48	Comoros	138.3
49	Mauritania	143.2
50	Djibouti	143.3
	Africa Avg	110.0
q=54.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₁₈
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₈
1	Sweden	8.5
2	Denmark	13.5
3	Norway	13.5
	...
177	Tuvalu	132.2
178	Myanmar (Burma)	133.8
179	Zimbabwe	134.5
180	Chad	134.6
181	Equatorial Guinea	135.4
182	Angola	136.1
183	Syria	136.5
184	Palestine	137.8
	World Avg	87.8
q=200.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway₁₉. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, The Vatican City and Sudan₁₉.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are statistics on supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₉, whereas the worst are Melanesia, The Middle East and Micronesia₁₉.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Chad stated:

“The authorities used excessive force to disperse peaceful protesters and violated the right to freedom of assembly. Government critics continued to be arbitrarily detained. Dozens of people were killed in attacks by armed groups or in inter-communal violence. The Observatory for the Promotion of Gender Equality and Equity was created amid continued violations of women�€�s and girls�€� rights. More than 2 million people faced food insecurity.”
"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₂₀

2. Human Rights & Tolerance

2.1. Press Freedom

#democracy #freedom #Freedom_of_Speech #Good_Governance #mass_media #politics #UK

Press Freedom Lower is better₁₂
Pos.		2013₁₂
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
117	Nepal	3461
118	Ecuador	3469
119	Cameroon	3478
120	Chad	3487
121	Brunei	3545
122	Tajikistan	3571
123	S. Sudan	3620
124	Algeria	3654
	Africa Avg	3511
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

Chad ranks 120th in the world with regard to supporting press freedom.

The freedom to investigate, publish information, and have access to others' opinion is a fundamental part of today's information-driven world, and is linked with Freedom of Speech and Good Governance. Scores on the Press Freedom Index are calculated according to indicators including pluralism - the degree to which opinions are represented in the media, media independence of authorities, self-censorship, legislation, transparency and the infrastructure that supports news and information, and, the level of violence against journalists which includes lengths of imprisonments. The index "does not take direct account of the kind of political system but it is clear that democracies provide better protection for the freedom to produce and circulate accurate news and information than countries where human rights are flouted". The rankings are used as one of the datasets of the Social and Moral Development Index₂₁

It must be noted that press freedom is not an indicator of press quality and the press itself can be abusive; the UK suffers in particular from a popular brand of nasty reporting that infuses several of its newspapers who are particularly prone to running destructive and often untrue campaigns against victims. The Press Freedom Index notes that "the index should in no way be taken as an indicator of the quality of the media in the countries concerned".

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.2. Slavery

#burundi #eritrea #france #human_rights #indonesia #slavery

Slavery Lower is better₁₅
Pos.		2018 % Victims₁₅
1	Japan	0.03
2=	Canada	0.05
2=	Taiwan	0.05
	...
150	Myanmar (Burma)	1.10
151	Turkmenistan	1.12
152	Rwanda	1.16
153=	Chad	1.20
153=	Sudan	1.20
155	Mongolia	1.23
156	Congo, DR	1.37
157	Somalia	1.55
	Africa Avg	0.96
	World Avg	0.65
q=167.

Chad ranks 15th-worst in the world regarding eliminating modern slavery.

The taking of slaves has been an unwholesome feature of Human cultures since prehistory₂₂. Private households and national endeavours have frequently been augmented with the use of slaves. The Egyptian and Roman empires both thrived on them for both purposes. Aside from labourers they are often abused sexually by their owners and their owners' friends₂₃. The era of colonialism and the beginnings of globalisation changed nothing: the imprisonment and forced movements of labour continued to destroy many lives except that new justifications were invented based on Christian doctrine and the effort to convert non-Christians. By 1786 over 12 million slaves had been extracted from Africa and sent to colonial labour camps, with a truly atrocious condition of life₂₄. But they were not the only ones to blame; in Africa internal nations such as the Asantes sold and bought tens of thousands of slaves₂₅.

The abolition of the slave trade was a long and slow process. Until a relatively modern time, even philosophers, religious leaders and those concerned with ethics justified, or ignored, the problem of slavery₂₆. The first abolitionists were always the slaves themselves. Their protests and rebellions caused the industry to become too expensive to continue. After that, it was the economic costs of maintain slave colonies that led the British to reject and then oppose the slave trade globally. Finally, the enlightenment-era thinkers of France encouraged moral and ethical thinking including the declaration of the inherent value of human life and human dignity₂₇. A long-overdue wave of compassionate and conscientious movements swept across the West, eliminating public support for slavery, until the industries and churches that supported it had no choice but to back down.

'Modern slavery' includes forced labour (often of the under-age), debt bondage (especially generational), sexual slavery, chattel slavery and other forms of abuse, some of which can be surprisingly difficult to detect, but often target those fleeing from warzones and the vulnerable.₂₈. Some industries (diamond, clothing, coal) from some countries (Burundi₂₉, Eritrea₂₉, Indonesia₃₀) are a particular concern. The Walk Free Foundation, say that in 2016, 40.3 million people were living in modern slavery₃₁.

For more, see:

"The Historical Slave Trade and Modern Slavery" by Vexen Crabtree (2018).

2.3. Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom

#freedom #politics

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better₁₄
Pos.		2014 Rank₁₄
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
143	Mauritania	143
144=	Egypt	144
144=	Saudi Arabia	144
146	Chad	146
147=	Pakistan	146
148	Zimbabwe	148
149	Guinea	149
150	Angola	150
	Africa Avg	114.2
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Chad ranks 14th-worst in the world when it comes to supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms.

The Human Freedom Index published by the Fraser Institute is...

“... a broad measure of human freedom, understood as the absence of coercive constraint. It uses 79 distinct indicators of personal and economic freedom in the following areas: Rule of Law, Security and Safety, Movement, Religion, Association, Assembly, and Civil Society, Expression, Relationships, Size of Government, Legal System and Property Rights, Access to Sound Money, Freedom to Trade Internationally, Regulation of Credit, Labor, and Business. [...]
The highest levels of freedom are in Western Europe, Northern Europe, and North America (Canada and the United States. The lowest levels are in the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. [...]
Countries in the top quartile of freedom enjoy a significant higher per capita income ($37,147) [compared with] the least-free quartile [at] $8,700). The HFI finds a strong correlation between human freedom and democracy.”
"The Human Freedom Index" by The Fraser Institute (2016)₃₂

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.4. Freedom in the World

#freedom #human_rights #hungary #politics #USA

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
184	Saudi Arabia	6.5
185=	Laos	6.5
185=	China	6.5
185=	Chad	6.5
185=	Burundi	6.5
185=	Swaziland	6.5
185=	Syria	6.5
185=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	6.5
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

In terms of its average Freedom in the World rating, Chad comes 20th-worst in the world.

Freedom House's long-standing annual report has been running since the 1970s, collecting data on political rights (PR) and civil liberties (CL). Their reports rate countries as "Free", "Partially Free" or "Not Free", however the results here are based on their numerical values. Many countries score the best combination of scores (1 and 1), which is why the table of results show many places equally placed in 1st place. In the past two decades, some well-established democracies like the USA and Hungary have been falling. Whilst most of the world in general is improving rights and freedoms over time, the 2020s has seen some regression.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

2.5. Nominal Commitment to HR

#human_rights

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better₉
Pos.		2009 Treaties₉
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
99	San Marino	16
100=	Cambodia	16
101	Sierra Leone	15
102=	Chad	15
102=	Tanzania	15
102=	St Vincent & Grenadines	15
102=	Liberia	15
102=	Libya	15
	Africa Avg	14.8
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Chad comes 101st in the world in terms of its nominal commitment to Human Rights.

There are many international agreements on human rights, and, many mechanisms by which countries can be brought to account for their actions. Together, these have been the biggest historical movement in the fight against oppression and inhumanity. Or, putting it another way: these are rejected mostly by those who wish to oppress inhumanely. None of them are perfect and many people object to various components and wordings, but, no-one has come up with, and enforced, better methods of controlling the occasional desires that states and peoples have of causing angst for other states and peoples in a violent, unjust or inhumane way. Points are awarded for the number of human rights agreements ratified by the country, plus the acceptance of the petition mechanisms for disputes. The maximum possible score in 2009 was 24.

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.6. HR Treaties Lag

#human_rights #international_law #micronesia #politics #small_islands

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better₃₃
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty₃₃
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
113	Slovenia	11.13
114	Dominica	11.14
115	Benin	11.15
116	Chad	11.23
117	Slovakia	11.24
118	Burundi	11.27
119	Qatar	11.34
120	Vatican City	11.34
	Africa Avg	9.88
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

In terms of speed of uptake of HR treaties, Chad ranks 116th in the world.

Human Rights (HR) Treaties Lag is a count of how long it took each country to sign each of 11 key HR treaties. From the date of the first signatory of each treaty, all other countries have one point added to their score for each day they delayed in signing. Results are presented as average time in years to sign each one. The lower a country's score, the more enthusiastically it has taken on international Human Rights Treaties - which are, of course, minimal standards of good governance. The slowest are the countries of Micronesia, Melanesia, Australasia and Polynesia all lagged by over 12 years per treaty. The best regions are The Americas, Scandinavia and the Mediterranean.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

3. Gender Equality

The 1950s saw a late rush of 43 countries, including Chad and many developing nations, move to cease preventing women from voting. Chad culture has a severe problem with gender equality, with male rights dominating those of women. Things need to change. Cultural Islamic beliefs are squarely to blame for this.

3.1. FGM

#chad #islam

Despite it being illegal in Chad, the horrendous practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been enacted upon 44% to 50% of the women there, with 4-5 thousand more being mutilated each year. about half are Muslim and half Christian; only a third (31%) of them agree that it is a religious requirement.₁₁

“[FGM] is officially illegal in Chad and carries a jail sentence of up to five years. However, no example of recent procedures involving the law against practitioners of FGM has been found. According to the Ministry of Social Action and Justice, trials are underway in certain regions, but no detail nor evidence of them has been published. As cases of FGM continue to rise in Chad, the National Commission of Human rights has opened an investigation to analyze the growth of the phenomenon and the government's response.”
"The Freedom of Thought Report" by Humanists International (2021)₁₁

See:

3.2. Gender Inequality

#gender #gender_equality #human_rights #misogyny #women

Gender Inequality Lower is better₁₆
Pos.		2015₁₆
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
	...
152	Tonga	0.66
153	Congo, DR	0.66
154	Afghanistan	0.67
155	Ivory Coast	0.67
156	Mali	0.69
157	Chad	0.69
158	Niger	0.70
159	Yemen	0.77
	Africa Avg	0.54
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Chad comes 3rd-worst in the world in terms of opposing gender inequality.

The UN Human Development Reports include statistics on gender equality which take into account things like maternal mortality, access to political power (seats in parliament) and differences between male and female education rates. Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchalism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

For more, see:

"Gender Equality" by Vexen Crabtree (2023).

3.3. Year Women Can Vote

#christianity #gender_equality #human_rights #politics #women

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
115	Malaysia	1957
116=	Laos	1958
116=	Hungary	1958
116=	Chad	1958
116=	Nigeria	1958
116=	Burkina Faso	1958
116=	Guinea	1958
122	Madagascar	1959
	Africa Avg	1961
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

In terms of the year from which women could participate in democracy, Chad is positioned 116th in the world.

Women now have equal rights in the vast majority of countries across the world. Although academic literature oftens talks of when a country "grants women the right to vote", this enforces a backwards way of thinking. Women always had the right to vote, however, they were frequently denied that right. The opposition to women's ability to vote in equality with man was most consistently and powerfully opposed by the Catholic Church, other Christian organisations, Islamic authorities and some other religious and secular traditionalists.

For more, see:

"Gender Equality" by Vexen Crabtree (2023).

4. Prejudice

4.1. LGBT Equality

#chad #equality #homosexuality #human_rights #ICCPR #intolerance #sexuality #tolerance

Homosexual relations are illegal in Chad. The former Prime Minister, Delwa Coumakoye, who remains an MP, excused Governmental failure to promote tolerance of LGBT folk, saying that "Homosexuality is condemned by all religions"₁₁.

“Same-sex relations are illegal in Chad under the Penal Code revised in 2017 and are punished by two years´ imprisonment and a fine. [...] There is no evidence that this law has been enforced, but the lack of investigation after the death of an openly gay man, Ahmat Fraicheur, in 2020, has shown how the public authorities treat LGBTI+ victims of crime differently. In addition, LGBTI+ people are stigmatized and marginalized, which forces them to "conceal their sexual orientation and gender identity".”
"The Freedom of Thought Report" by Humanists International (2021)₁₁

LGBT Equality Higher is better₁₀
Pos.		2017 Score₁₀
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
114	Rwanda	7
115=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	5
115=	Madagascar	5
115=	Chad	5
118	Indonesia	1
119=	Ivory Coast	1
119=	Russia	1
119=	Benin	1
	Africa Avg	-10.4
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Still good for Africa Chad ranks 115th in the world in terms of LGBT equality.

Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) folk is rife across the world. Legal restrictions co-exist alongside social stigmatisation and physical violence₃₄. LGBT tolerance and equal rights have been fought for country-by-country across the world, often against tightly entrenched cultural and religious opposition. Adult consensual sexual activity is a Human Right, protected by privacy laws₃₅. Despite this, homosexual activity is outlawed in around 80 countries₃₄. The Social & Moral LGBT Equality Index was created to compare countries and regions, granting points to each country for a variety of factors including how long gay sex has been criminalized and the extent of LGBT legal rights. Graded negative points are given for criminality of homosexuality, unequal ages of consent, legal punishments and for not signing international accords on LGBT tolerance. The signs in many developed countries are positive, and things are gradually improving. Europe is by far the least prejudiced region (Scandinavia in particular being exemplary). The Middle East and then Africa are the least morally developed, where cultural bias goes hand-in-hand with state intolerance, all too often including physical violence.

For more, see:

"LGBT Rights Across the World: Which are the Best and Worst Countries?" by Vexen Crabtree (2017).

4.2. Freedom of Thought

#Chad #christianity #europe #freedom_of_belief #freethought #human_rights #islam #netherlands #religion #religion_in_Chad #religious_tolerance #secularism #the_enlightenment

Freedom of Thought Lower is better₁₃
Pos.		2021₁₃
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
	...
157	Oman	3.8
158=	Samoa	3.8
158=	Swaziland	3.8
158=	Chad	3.8
161	Rwanda	4.0
162=	Congo, DR	4.0
162=	Tunisia	4.0
162=	Cuba	4.0
	Africa Avg	3.1
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

Chad comes 149th in the world regarding freethought.

Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Belief are upheld in Article 18 the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights₃₆. It affirms that it is a basic human right that all people are free to change their beliefs and religion as they wish₃₇. No countries voted against this (although eight abstained). This right was first recognized clearly in the policies of religious toleration of the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe in the post-enlightenment era₃₈ of the 19th century. In democratic countries, freedom of belief and religion is now taken for granted₃₉. In 2016 a study found that over 180 countries in the world had come to guarantee freedom of religion and belief₄₀. The best countries at doing so are Taiwan, Belgium and The Netherlands₁₃_,₄₁ and the worst: Afghanistan, N. Korea, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia₁₃_,₄₂.

Long-term studies have shown that religious violence and persecution both decrease in cultures where religious freedom is guaranteed₄₃. Despite this, there still are many who are strongly against freedom of belief₃₇, including entire cultures and many individual communities of religious believers. Their alternative is that you are not free to believe what you want and they often state that you cannot change religion without being punished (often including the death penalty): this is bemoaned as one of the most dangerous elements of religion₄₄ and "the denial of religious freedoms is inevitably intertwined with the denial of other freedoms"₄₅ and the solution is, everywhere, to allow religious freedom and the freedom of belief.

For more, see:

"Freethought - Freedom of Belief and Freedom of Religion" by Vexen Crabtree (2022).

Although the Constitution says the state should be secular, some policies favor Islam₁₇, for example, in the use of public lands for building places of worship₄₆.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₄₆, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Chad states:

“[T]he High Council for Islamic Affairs (HCIA) and the Directorate of Religious and Traditional Affairs in the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) organized trips to Mecca for the Hajj [and] Umrah (pilgrimage). The Director of Religious and Traditional Affairs oversees religious matters. The HCIA oversees Islamic religious activities, including the supervision of some Arabic-language schools and higher institutions of learning, and the representation of the country in international Islamic meetings. The HCIA, in coordination with the president, appoints the grand imam, a spiritual leader for Muslims, who oversees each region's high imam and serves as head of the council. In principle, although not consistently in practice, the grand imam has the authority to restrict proselytizing by Islamic groups, regulate the content of mosque sermons, and exert control over activities of Islamic charities. Religious leaders are involved in managing the country's wealth. A representative of the religious community sits on the Revenue Management College, the body that oversees use of Chad's oil revenues. The seat rotates between Muslim and Christian leaders every four years.”
"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₄₆