Human Rights and Freedom in Equatorial Guinea

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

By Vexen Crabtree 2018

#Equatorial_Guinea #equatorial_guinea_homosexuality #homosexuality

Equatorial Guinea Republic of Equatorial Guinea [Country Profile Page]
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	196th best
Location	Africa
Population	1.3m₁
Life Expectancy	60.59yrs (2017)₂

Equatorial Guinea 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. Equatorial Guinea does worse than average in terms of commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₃, eliminating modern slavery₄, its nominal commitment to Human Rights₅ and in freethought₆. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in supporting press freedom₇ and in its average Freedom in the World rating (amongst the worst in Africa). President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has gripped power since 1979, ruling over a government rife with corruption and a people whose human rights are thoroughly desecrated₈.

1. Equatorial Guinea's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

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

Compared to Africa (2025)₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₉
1	S. Africa	55.8
2	Seychelles	64.8
3	Cape Verde	66.8
	...
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
51	Swaziland	144.6
	Africa Avg	110.0
q=54.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₉
1	Sweden	8.5
2	Denmark	13.5
3	Norway	13.5
	...
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
185	Saudi Arabia	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 Norway₁₀. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, The Vatican City and Sudan₁₀.

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 Europe₁₀, whereas the worst are Melanesia, The Middle East and Micronesia₁₀.

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 Equatorial Guinea stated:

“The authorities conducted arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture and other ill treatment and enforced disappearances, including in the context of the presidential election and the so-called �€�Cleaning Operation�€� against criminal gangs. Impunity for sexual violence continued. Pregnant girls remained banned from attending school. Undocumented migrants were deported amid a lack of due process. LGBTI people continued to face multiple forms of discrimination. The death penalty was abolished in the Penal Code but remained in the Code of Military Justice.”
"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₁₁

“Corruption, poverty, and repression of human rights continue to plague Equatorial Guinea under President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the world´s longest serving president, who has been in power since 1979. Vast oil revenues fund lavish lifestyles for the small elite surrounding the president, while little progress has been made on improving access to key rights, including health care and primary education, for the vast majority of Equatorial Guineans. Mismanagement of public funds, credible allegations of high-level corruption and repression of civil society groups and opposition politicians, and unfair trials, persist. [...]
Freedom of association and assembly are severely curtailed, and the government imposes restrictive conditions on the registration and operation of nongovernmental organizations. The few local activists who seek to address human rights-related issues often face intimidation, harassment, and reprisals.”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₈

2. Human Rights & Tolerance

2.1. Press Freedom

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

Press Freedom Lower is better₇
Pos.		2013₇
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
162	Saudi Arabia	5688
163	Uzbekistan	6039
164	Bahrain	6275
165	Equatorial Guinea	6720
166	Djibouti	6740
167	Laos	6799
168	Yemen	6922
169	Sudan	7006
	Africa Avg	3511
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

Equatorial Guinea comes 14th-worst in the world in terms of 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 Index₁₂

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).

“Only a few private media outlets exist in the country, and they are largely owned by persons close to President Obiang.”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₈

2.2. Slavery

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

Slavery Lower is better₄
Pos.		2018 % Victims₄
1	Japan	0.03
2=	Canada	0.05
2=	Taiwan	0.05
	...
115	Ethiopia	0.61
116=	India	0.61
117	Tanzania	0.62
118=	Equatorial Guinea	0.64
118=	Ukraine	0.64
120	Turkey	0.65
121=	Niger	0.67
121=	Zimbabwe	0.67
	Africa Avg	0.96
	World Avg	0.65
q=167.

Equatorial Guinea comes 118th in the world in terms of eliminating modern slavery.

The taking of slaves has been an unwholesome feature of Human cultures since prehistory₁₃. 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' friends₁₄. 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 life₁₅. But they were not the only ones to blame; in Africa internal nations such as the Asantes sold and bought tens of thousands of slaves₁₆.

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 slavery₁₇. 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 dignity₁₈. 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.₁₉. Some industries (diamond, clothing, coal) from some countries (Burundi₂₀, Eritrea₂₀, Indonesia₂₁) are a particular concern. The Walk Free Foundation, say that in 2016, 40.3 million people were living in modern slavery₂₂.

For more, see:

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

2.3. 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
	...
189	Swaziland	6.5
190=	Syria	6.5
190=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	6.5
192	Equatorial Guinea	7.0
193=	S. Sudan	7.0
193=	N. Korea	7.0
193=	Belarus	7.0
193=	Afghanistan	7.0
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

In terms of its average Freedom in the World rating, Equatorial Guinea comes last 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).

2.4. Human Rights Watch Comments

#human_rights

Human Rights Watch Comments Higher is better₃
Pos.		2017 Score₃
1=	UK	9
1=	France	9
1=	Germany	9
	...
99	Cuba	-6
100	Yemen	-7
101=	Egypt	-7
101=	Equatorial Guinea	-7
101=	Swaziland	-7
101=	Indonesia	-7
101=	Ethiopia	-7
106	Russia	-8
	Africa Avg	-5.6
	World Avg	-1.9
q=123.

Equatorial Guinea is 15th-worst in the world in terms of commentary in Human Rights Watch reports.

Human Rights Watch comments concentrate mostly on negative issues, however, they also make positive comments for those countries that engage in human rights defence around the world, or who make improvements at home. By adding up positive and negative comments (including double-points for negatives that involve large scales and crimes against humanity), the Social and Moral Index turns HRW commentary into quantified values. Some countries may be unfairly penalized because HRW have not examined them, and, some countries "get away" with abuses if they manage to hide it, or if it goes unnoticed - a negative point has been given for those countries in which HRW specifically state that access to investigators has been barred. The points were limited to a minimum of -10 because there are some points at which things are so bad, with abuses affecting so many, it is difficult to be more specific about the depths of the issues.

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.5. Nominal Commitment to HR

#human_rights

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better₅
Pos.		2009 Treaties₅
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
130	Ivory Coast	13
131=	Afghanistan	13
131=	Gambia	13
131=	Equatorial Guinea	13
131=	Antigua & Barbuda	13
131=	Nepal	13
131=	Djibouti	13
137	Ethiopia	12
	Africa Avg	14.8
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Equatorial Guinea ranks 125th in the world with regard to 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 better₂₃
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty₂₃
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
152	Andorra	12.91
153	Bhutan	13.01
154	Swaziland	13.16
155	Equatorial Guinea	13.18
156	Vanuatu	13.21
157	Guinea-Bissau	13.23
158	Liechtenstein	13.28
159	Ireland	13.38
	Africa Avg	9.88
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Regarding speed of uptake of HR treaties, Equatorial Guinea ranks 155th 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

See:

"Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree

3.1. 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
	...
141=	Kenya	1963
141=	Fiji	1963
141=	Afghanistan	1963
141=	Equatorial Guinea	1963
141=	Bahamas	1963
146	Sudan	1964
147=	Libya	1964
147=	Papua New Guinea	1964
	Africa Avg	1961
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

With regard to the year from which women could participate in democracy, Equatorial Guinea comes 139th 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

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

LGBT Equality Higher is better₂₄
Pos.		2017 Score₂₄
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
93=	Laos	15
93=	Haiti	15
93=	Azerbaijan	15
93=	Equatorial Guinea	15
93=	Burkina Faso	15
93=	Cambodia	15
93=	Vanuatu	15
93=	Congo, DR	15
	Africa Avg	-10.4
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Equatorial Guinea comes 93rd in the world regarding 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 violence₂₅. 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 laws₂₆. Despite this, homosexual activity is outlawed in around 80 countries₂₅. 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

#europe #freedom_of_belief #freethought #human_rights #netherlands #religion #religious_tolerance #secularism #the_enlightenment

Freedom of Thought Lower is better₆
Pos.		2021₆
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
	...
136	Poland	3.5
137=	Tanzania	3.5
137=	Guyana	3.5
137=	Equatorial Guinea	3.5
137=	Guinea	3.5
137=	Burundi	3.5
137=	Suriname	3.5
137=	Kazakhstan	3.5
	Africa Avg	3.1
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

Equatorial Guinea ranks 132nd in the world in terms of freethought.

Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Belief are upheld in Article 18 the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights₂₇. It affirms that it is a basic human right that all people are free to change their beliefs and religion as they wish₂₈. 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 era₂₉ of the 19th century. In democratic countries, freedom of belief and religion is now taken for granted₃₀. In 2016 a study found that over 180 countries in the world had come to guarantee freedom of religion and belief₃₁. The best countries at doing so are Taiwan, Belgium and The Netherlands₆_,₃₂ and the worst: Afghanistan, N. Korea, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia₆_,₃₃.

Long-term studies have shown that religious violence and persecution both decrease in cultures where religious freedom is guaranteed₃₄. Despite this, there still are many who are strongly against freedom of belief₂₈, 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 religion₃₅ and "the denial of religious freedoms is inevitably intertwined with the denial of other freedoms"₃₆ 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).