Upholding human rights and civil liberties is key for accountable governance
Legal rights establish the state’s responsibilities to its citizens and are therefore the bedrock of accountable governance. This shift considers both the establishment of such rights and the extent of their enforcement and fulfillment. Rather than attempt to encompass the full array of political and social rights, the indicators included here identify key trends that may enable or constrain equitable systems change. A lack of respect for civil liberties may indicate weak rule of law or a shift toward autocracy.
Key indicators measuring civic space are heading in the wrong direction
Civic space is under continuous and growing threat, press freedom has deteriorated and attacks on workers’ rights have grown. Just 59% of countries surveyed in 2024 adequately protected their citizens’ freedoms of expression, association and assembly, all of which form the basis for a healthy civil society. This means citizens face severe risks if they attempt to hold the government or industry to account.
Despite these deteriorating trends, one key dimension that shows positive signs is the increasing legal recognition of Indigenous and community lands.
Human rights defenders on land, environment and climate issues face a high level of risk
One report found that, out of 555 attacks against human rights defenders in 2022, 75% were related to land, environment or climate. In these challenging contexts, civil society and their allies have to employ a politically sensitive approach to identify where progress can be made without risking legal or violent backlash, particularly to ensure the safety of vulnerable actors or groups. Recent work from Pact and its partners demonstrates that applied political economy analysis can be used to strengthen critical human rights response mechanisms, such as human rights treaty bodies or domestic bodies such as ombudspersons, even in contentious settings.
Achieving goals for people, nature and climate requires respecting human rights
If governments ignore or undermine human rights, they are less likely to reach climate and nature goals in ways that are socially equitable. These rights help ensure accountability, strengthen the social contract and establish the foundation for universal social welfare, security and inclusive participation in governance. This starts by halting crackdowns on protests and dissent; reforming laws that restrict expression, association or assembly; and preventing physical and legal threats against activists, journalists and labor organizers. It is essential to strengthen legal protections, enhance institutional capacity and cultivate political leadership that embeds a culture of respect for human rights across government. At the same time, companies must be held accountable for upholding these rights across their supply chains as well.
Indicators in this shift are all directional, with an increasing trend indicating improvements in the environment for workers, civil society and communities. While there are no specified global targets or timeframes, equitable systems change can only occur if these key measures of human rights and civil liberties show rapid improvement.
This system does not include enabler and barrier indicators, as we assume the outcome indicators in governance enable shifts in other systems.