Papua New Guinea
How well is Papua New Guinea respecting people's human rights?
Use the tabs below to explore the scores.
Papua New Guinea at a glance
Quality of Life
Economic and Social Rights
(2020)
Summary score
N/A
How well is Papua New Guinea doing compared to what is possible at its level of income?
Right to
0
% of income adjusted benchmark achieved
HRMI score
100%
Very bad
Bad
Fair
Good
Safety from the State
Civil and Political Rights
(2022)
Summary score
5.9
How well is Papua New Guinea's government respecting each right?
Right to freedom from
0
Score
10
Very bad
Bad
Fair
Good
Empowerment
Civil and Political Rights
(2022)
Summary score
5.9
How well is Papua New Guinea's government respecting each right?
Right to
0
Score
10
Very bad
Bad
Fair
Good
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
Quality of Life
Compared with the other countries in the Pacific, Papua New Guinea is performing worse than average when we look across the rights for which we have data (this comparison is calculated using the 'Income adjusted' benchmark).
To change the performance benchmark or assessment standard, please click on ‘Switch view’ above
Safety from the State
Papua New Guinea's Safety from the State score of 5.9 out of 10 suggests that many people are not safe from one or more of the following: arbitrary arrest, torture and ill-treatment, forced disappearance, execution or extrajudicial killing.
Compared with the other countries in the Pacific, Papua New Guinea is performing worse than average on the right to be safe from the state.
Empowerment
Papua New Guinea's Empowerment score of 5.9 out of 10 suggests that many people are not enjoying their civil liberties and political freedoms (freedom of speech, assembly and association, and democratic rights).
Compared with the other countries in the Pacific, Papua New Guinea is performing worse than average on empowerment rights.
Quality of Life - overview
(2020)
How well is Papua New Guinea doing compared to what is possible at its level of income?
Summary score
0
% of income adjusted benchmark achieved
HRMI score
100%
Right to
Very bad
Bad
Fair
Good
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
Compared with the other countries in the Pacific, Papua New Guinea is performing worse than average when we look across the rights for which we have data (this comparison is calculated using the 'Income adjusted' benchmark).
To change the performance benchmark or assessment standard, please click on ‘Switch view’ above
Quality of Life - full details
See more detail on how Papua New Guinea performs on the
?Right to
0
% of income adjusted benchmark achieved
HRMI score
100%
Right to
Very bad
Bad
Fair
Good
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
By sex
How does Papua New Guinea perform by sex for
?By sex
0
% of income adjusted benchmark achieved
HRMI score
100%
Very bad
Bad
Fair
Good
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
Over time
How does Papua New Guinea perform over time for
?Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk
(2022)
Which people in Papua New Guinea were identified by human rights experts to be particularly at risk of having their
violated?Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
When asked to provide more context about who was particularly unlikely to enjoy their right to education in 2022, our respondents mentioned all of the following:
- Girls often do not complete school due to sexual coercion from teachers
- People with disabilities often do not complete school due to bullying
- Transgender people often do not complete school due to bullying
- Many people are unable to access educational services due to poverty and high costs of education
- High levels of corruption disrupt the quality of educational services
- LGBTQIA+ people and people employed in sex work do not have equal access to education
- Tribal violence disrupts education services
- People living in the Porgera District gold mine community do not have access to good quality education
- Schools are burnt down in connection to tribal violence. At the command of the head of state, the Papua New Guinea Defence Force did not prevent nor intervene in the violence
Safety from the State - overview
(2022)
How well is Papua New Guinea's government respecting each right?
Summary score
0
Score
10
Right to freedom from
Very bad
Bad
Fair
Good
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
Papua New Guinea's Safety from the State score of 5.9 out of 10 suggests that many people are not safe from one or more of the following: arbitrary arrest, torture and ill-treatment, forced disappearance, execution or extrajudicial killing.
Compared with the other countries in the Pacific, Papua New Guinea is performing worse than average on the right to be safe from the state.
Over time
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk
(2022)
Which people in Papua New Guinea were identified by human rights experts to be particularly at risk of having their
violated?Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to arbitrary or political arrest and detention by government agents in 2022, our respondents mentioned all of the following:
- Protesters, particularly those in Porgera District, demonstrating for their right to vote
- Political leaders and supporters
- Activists are arrested for alleged cyberbullying when expressing their political opinions on social media
Empowerment - overview
(2022)
How well is Papua New Guinea's government respecting each right?
Summary score
0
Score
10
Right to
Very bad
Bad
Fair
Good
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
Papua New Guinea's Empowerment score of 5.9 out of 10 suggests that many people are not enjoying their civil liberties and political freedoms (freedom of speech, assembly and association, and democratic rights).
Compared with the other countries in the Pacific, Papua New Guinea is performing worse than average on empowerment rights.
Over time
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk
(2022)
Which people in Papua New Guinea were identified by human rights experts to be particularly at risk of having their
violated?Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to restrictions on their rights to assembly and association by the government or its agents in 2022, our respondents mentioned all of the following:
- LGBTQIA+ people, especially transgender people, are limited from protesting and joining political groups due to the threat of violence. The police do not assure the safety of LGBTQIA+ protesters
- Electoral candidates’ vehicles are stoned during roadblocks
- Protesters expressing their right to vote are arrested in Porgera District and Maip District
Which people are most at risk?
We asked human rights experts to choose from a list of options for which people were particularly at risk of having this right violated. The images below show their answers.
Highlight
in the word clouds below.Quality of Life
People at risk for
Right to education
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk for
Right to food
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk for
Right to health
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk for
Right to housing
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk for
Right to work
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
Safety from the State
People at risk for
Right to freedom from arbitrary arrest
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk for
Right to freedom from forced disappearance
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk for
Right to freedom from the death penalty
Expert respondents didn’t select any group of people for this right.
People at risk for
Right to freedom from extrajudicial execution
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk for
Right to freedom from torture and ill-treatment
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
Empowerment
People at risk for
Right to assembly and association
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk for
Right to opinion and expression
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
People at risk for
Right to participate in government
(2022)
Interpretation: Larger text = more human rights experts identified this group as being at risk.
Source: HRMI 2023 rightstracker.org
On this tab you can find data collected only in Pacific countries, on five themes.
Jump to:
Climate crisis
(2022)
How much has the climate crisis worsened human rights conditions in Papua New Guinea?
4.8
Not at All (1)
Slightly (2)
Somewhat (3)
Moderately (4)
Greatly (5)
Extremely (6)
When asked to provide more context about how the climate crisis has worsened rights conditions in 2022, respondents mentioned the following:
- Climate change is a cross-cutting issue affecting most, if not all, sectors in the development of the people of Papua New Guinea
- Climate migration is having a significant effect. When islands or villages become uninhabitable, families and communities must move due to submerged islands or consistent natural disasters. Moving means conflict and a blending or distortion of local cultures.
- Many people are already seriously affected and yet they are neglected and overlooked
- Coastal regions are the most affected by rising sea levels, causing salination of drinking water wells, and erosion of coastline impacting human settlements
- Climate change is damaging available farming land, leading to food insecurity, nutritional deficits, and related health problems
- Changes in the weather patterns affect subsistence farming (planting, harvesting, fishing, hunting), and general livelihoods of people closer to the sea and towards the higher altitudes
- Internal migration is causing crowding and increases in crime; the freedom of movement of individual persons, especially women, young girls, and children is being threatened by thieves and drug addicts who are likely to cause physical and sexual assaults
- Climate change and high sea level disasters caused flooding in the Gulf Province
Indigenous sovereignty
(2022)
To what extent are Indigenous and/or native communities in Papua New Guinea able to exercise self-determination?
3.8
Not at All (1)
Slightly (2)
Somewhat (3)
Moderately (4)
Highly (5)
Completely (6)
When asked to provide more context about Indigenous self-determination in 2022, respondents mentioned the following:
- Money has become the main source of bargaining power for goods and services instead of Indigenous knowledge
- Traditional governing systems from the past have helped solve many climate change related problems
- Western influences are strong
- Traditional methods work for many rural communities
- Indigenous communities have always been self-sufficient, but political leaders encourage modern consumption of goods including food items and cash handouts, especially during elections, leading to increasing levels of dependence on the government
- A decentralised governance system needs to be established from the bottom up
Indigenous lands
(2022)
To what extent do Indigenous and/or native communities in Papua New Guinea have possession and enjoyment of their traditional lands?
3.6
Not at All (1)
Slightly (2)
Somewhat (3)
Moderately (4)
Highly (5)
Completely (6)
When asked to provide more context about Indigenous land rights in 2022, respondents mentioned the following:
- The vast majority of land in Papua New Guinea is still owned by native customary landowners, but the government makes many decisions about land
- Women are marginalised in Papua New Guinea and are not allowed to speak of rights to own land
- Violence against women who claim rights to land ownership is common
- Women find it challenging or impossible to receive shares and inherit any benefits or earn land royalties because land is traditionally owned by men
- Women are not allowed to participate in land ownership discussions or be part of any decision-making
- Lands are registered by customary obligations or family heads
- It is hard for MVPFAFF+ / LGBTQIA+ people or women to build on customary land
Cultural rights
(2022)
To what extent do people in Papua New Guinea enjoy their cultural rights?
3.6
Not at All (1)
Slightly (2)
Somewhat (3)
Moderately (4)
Highly (5)
Completely (6)
When asked to provide more context about the extent to which communities can practise their cultural rights in 2022, respondents mentioned the following:
- The diverse cultures in Papua New Guinea are unique to each region; cross-cultural sharing is increasing with modern technology and the cash economy
- Some aspects of culture, such as artifacts, songs, and traditional designs, are increasingly being exploited by foreigners for profit gain
- Cases have been reported of people accusing village herbal doctors of witchcraft and are torturing them to death
- Money and western ideals have influenced the youth and some elders who are Indigenous knowledge protectors
- A lot of traditional knowledge and languages are not documented and are slowly dying out
- There is a belief that cultural rights are taken away by multinational companies and political leaders
- The government of the day does not do anything about making sure Indigenous languages and traditions are preserved, however, some work is being done by mission organisations like Summer Institute of Linguistics
- Papua New Guinea society is built on strong cultural values and beliefs; however, these cultures are not present in schools or media
Violence
(2022)
To what extent are people in Papua New Guinea free from violence in the community?
Violence against
0
Score
10
Less safe
More safe
Violence against children
When asked to provide more context about violence against children in 2022, respondents mentioned the following:
- A lot of children are exposed to violence daily
- Polygamy sometimes leads to neglect of women and girls
- Many children suffer from trauma and from abusive parents
- Many guardians consider that physical violence against children in their care is appropriate
- Physical discipline in the home can result in broken arms, black eyes, and bruising
- Data is not easily accessible to know the extent of violence against children, but given existing prejudices and customary practices, violation of their rights is widespread
- Government authorities are not serious in curbing violence against children; Australian AID and United Nations programmes have helped in ensuring laws exist to protect children, but there is still a lack of effective implementation
Violence against people with disabilities
When asked to provide more context about violence against people with disabilities in 2022, respondents mentioned the following:
- People with disabilities face violence because they cannot fight back when they are being violated
- Women with disabilities face more violence as a result of frustrated family members, partners and community members
- People with disabilities are often neglected
- Data is lacking
- Many people with disabilities are exposed to violence daily
Violence against MVPFAFF+/LGBTQIA+
When asked to provide more context about violence against MVPFAFF+ and LGBTQIA+ people in 2022, respondents mentioned the following:
- Isolated areas in the highlands of Papua New Guinea are unaware of same-sex relationships and have very little understanding and tolerance for these relationships
- There are reports of repeated incidents of violence towards sex workers by stoning
- MVPFAFF+ / LGBTQIA+ people face a lot of violence in their daily lives because of their appearance and sexual identity; some disguise themselves due to family backgrounds, cultures and traditions
- People often experience being kicked out of their homes, tortured or killed
- A lot of people say that Papua New Guinea is a Christian country and as a result, use it to force their beliefs onto other people
- MVPFAFF+ and LGBTQIA+ communities in Papua New Guinea are at risk and have often been subjected to violence
- Data is not easily accessible to know the level of violence against this population, but given existing prejudices and discrimination, violation of their rights is widespread
Violence against women and girls
When asked to provide more context about violence against women in 2022, respondents mentioned the following:
- Women and girls are seen as second-class in Papua New Guinea society
- Physical assaults and deprivation of rights as women has long been the norm
- Some parts of the country experience more violence against women than other parts; the highlands area has increasing numbers of violence against women and girls compared to the coastal areas
- Even though more awareness is being raised, abuse of women and girls is still common
- There have been many protests against the government to effectively enforce the laws that protect vulnerable minority groups, but very little change; most of the change that is happening is coming because of aid funding from the United Nations and donor countries
- Women avoid reporting violence, crime or any abuse experiences to the police, because they fear the perpetrators and their relatives who continue to threaten and assault them when or if they return home
- There is a perception that women who experience violence will not succeed in official complaints or court cases
- Women can be tortured and killed if they are found to be having affairs with other men
- Given the pandemic and a decline in the economy, many young women and women, in general, have experienced violence from their partners, petty thieves, and even law enforcement officers
Behind the numbers
Quality of Life
Overall, China is performing better than average in economic and social rights compared with other East Asian countries, according to our income-adjusted benchmark, though it still has significant challenges. We produce scores for China for the rights to education, food, health, housing, and work.
Under the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which China has signed, all countries agree to devote their maximum available resources to making things progressively better for their people in these areas.
HRMI has calculated what China could be achieving at its current level of income. The scores are given as a percentage of that realistic potential achievement.
China’s best scores are for the right to health, where it is achieving 98.1% of what we calculate should be possible, and for the right to food (96.4%). For these rights, China is doing nearly as well as it possibly can, given its level of income. China could still afford to make some gains now, but then would need to increase its income to make further improvements.
Of the five quality of life rights we measure, China needs to improve the most in the right to quality education, where it scores 61.4%, which falls in the ‘very bad’ range. Among 17 East Asian countries, this score puts China in the bottom half for quality education, just below Mongolia and Myanmar, and just above Malaysia and Thailand.
Right to quality education in East and Southeast Asia
Score
0
% of income adjusted benchmark achieved
HRMI score
100%
China’s other lower score is for the right to housing, where it is currently achieving only 88.7% of what we calculate should be possible at its level of income.
We further break the right to housing down into scores for the right to sanitation and the right to water.
With a GDP per capita of US$12,556 we calculate that China has the resources to ensure all of its people have running water and toilets in their homes.
However, China’s right to sanitation score of 86.3% shows that many people are missing out, even though China could afford to do better. If China efficiently used its available resources, it could achieve a score of 100%, which would mean that 108 million additional Chinese would gain access to basic sanitation in their homes.
If China improved its performance for the right to water from 91% to 100%, 101 million more people would have water on their premises.
The good news is that China’s scores for the right to housing have been steadily improving since 2001, when the nation scored 68.6%. The progress from 2019 to 2020 suggests around 28 million people gained access to basic sanitation over that period, and around five million people gained access to water in their homes. China’s scores for the right to sanitation are rising more quickly than those for the right to water.
When it comes to the right to food, if China lifted its score to 100%, around 1.1 million more children under five years old would have enough nutritious food to grow well – that would mean all children in China under five would have enough nutritious food to grow well. This is an achievable goal.
With a current score of 96.4%, China has improved a little in respecting people’s right to food over the last 20 years, with its score increasing from 86% in 2000.
On the right to work, China’s score has climbed strongly up to 95.8% in 2020 from 34.6% in 2000, meaning many fewer people have been living in absolute poverty over the last two decades, and bringing it into the 'good' band of scores. Still, the latest score means 4 million Chinese are unnecessarily living in absolute poverty (living on less than $3.65 per day, measured in 2017 PPP$), so significant improvement is still possible and necessary.
However, for the right to health, expert respondents noted significant problems with air and water pollution, food safety, and the impacts of the government response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Respondents also noted inequities in access to healthcare, including regional differences, and differences in access according to wealth and political influence.
China comes in second in the world in ensuring people’s right to health is fulfilled, with a score of 98.1%, when using the low and middle income assessment standard (when using the high income standard, China still comes in fifth in the world, when taking countries' income into account). For countries doing this well with their current level of income, an increase of income will be necessary to make significant further improvements. This is the right where China is most constrained by resources – for all of the other rights we measure, China should already be able to do nearly as well as any country in the world, at its current level of income.
People at risk
While China has room for improvement in all the rights we measure, a further consideration is inequity. There are several groups of people who experts identified as being at higher risk of missing out. These include:
-
People with lower social or economic status
-
People from ethnic minorities, including Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, and Kazakhs
-
Human rights advocates, protestors, and anyone who criticises the government
-
People living in rural areas, particularly older people, and women
-
Single parent families
-
People who are homeless
-
Disabled people
-
Detainees
-
People from religious minorities, particularly those practising Christianity, Islam, or Falun Gong, or other unregistered religions
-
Internally displaced people
See the people at risk tab on the Rights Tracker for the full lists. The data also show a strong connection between political activity, especially criticism of the government, and lack of enjoyment of economic and social rights.
Room for improvement
All our Quality of Life scores show that China could make significant improvements to its people’s lives, even without more resources.
If China were using its resources more efficiently to ensure its people’s wellbeing, it could achieve 100% for all the rights we measure. Yet, while its best score is close to that mark — 98.1% on the right to health — its worst score — 61.4% on the right to quality education — is far from that level.
If China better upheld its rights obligations, and achieved a full 100% score on all the rights we measure, we would see millions more Chinese people living lives of dignity, even without income growth. For example, if China reached 100% we would see the following number of extra people benefitting:
-
If China were to operate at its full potential given its current resources, we would expect an additional 1.1 million children under five to grow well and not be stunted.
-
If China were operating at best practice, each year we would expect an extra 39,500 newborn babies to survive until their fifth birthday.
-
If China were to operate at its full potential given its current resources, we would expect an additional 161,000 newborns to be born at a healthy birth weight.
-
If China were reaching its full potential, given its income constraints, an extra 444,000 15-year-olds could eventually reach the age of 60.
-
If China used its resources efficiently, an additional 108 million people could have a toilet at home, and an extra 101 million people could have access to water in their homes.
-
If China were operating at its full potential given its current resources, it could lift 4 million people out of absolute poverty.
Safety from the State
China scores 2.9 out of 10 for our overall Safety from the State category, telling us that many people are at risk of arbitrary or political arrest or detention, torture and ill-treatment, forced disappearance, execution, or extrajudicial killing. This is the lowest score in our sample of 30 countries.
China’s worst score in this category is 1.3 out of 10 for freedom from the death penalty, the lowest score among all the countries we measure.
The human rights experts we surveyed said that agents of the state, particularly police, had total impunity to engage in torture of those detained.
Respondents overwhelmingly agreed that human rights advocates, protesters, and people who criticised the government were at particular risk of rights violations, especially arbitrary arrest and detention, forced disappearance, and torture and ill-treatment. Respondents particularly noted risks to people participating in the White Paper protests, and those criticising the government response to the Covid-19 pandemic, or disobeying quarantine and lockdown rules.
People from ethnic minorities were at extra risk for all five Safety from the State rights.
Other vulnerable groups include:
-
People from ethnic minorities, including Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, and Kazakhs
-
Human rights advocates, protesters, and anyone who criticises the government
-
Detainees and those accused of crimes
-
People from religious minorities, particularly those practising Falun Gong, Christianity, or Islam
-
Internally displaced people
Among other East and Southeast Asian countries and territories where we measure these rights, China has the lowest scores for all five Safety from the State rights.
Right to freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention in East and Southeast Asia
Summary score
0
Score
10
Right to freedom from forced disappearance in East and Southeast Asia
Summary score
0
Score
10
Right to freedom from death penalty in East and Southeast Asia
Summary score
0
Score
10
Right to freedom from extrajudicial execution in East and Southeast Asia
Summary score
0
Score
10
Right to freedom from torture and ill-treatment in East and Southeast Asia
Summary score
0
Score
10
Empowerment
The Chinese government limits civil liberties and political freedom, with China scoring a very low 1.9 out of 10 in empowerment rights. This is the lowest score in our sample of 30 countries.
For the rights to assembly and association, opinion and expression, participation in government, and freedom of religion and belief all of China’s scores fall into the ‘very bad’ range. For all four rights, the human rights experts we surveyed agreed overwhelmingly that ‘all people’ were at risk of violations of these rights.
When it comes to the right to assembly and association, China scores 1.8 out of 10, and human rights experts identified a wide range of people not enjoying their rights, including human rights advocates, protesters, and people criticising or opposing the government, as well as those from ethnic and religious minorities. They also noted that people from religious minorities cannot freely gather, and that even small social gatherings in homes have been broken up by authorities.
China’s score for the right to opinion and expression is a very low 2.4 out of 10, with no improvement over the three years we have measured this right. Respondents noted that no one can speak freely, even online, and that doing so can lead to a range of punishments and reprisals.
China also scores in the ‘very bad’ range for the right to participate in government, with a score of 2 out of 10. Respondents noted the lack of free elections, and that ordinary people have no ability to participate in political life.
For the right to freedom of religion and belief, China scored 2.5, the lowest in our sample of nine countries in a new pilot study. Respondents noted that the government restricts all religious practices, and is particularly repressive towards people following unregistered minority religions such as Falun Gong, as well as Uyghur Muslims.
Groups that are particularly vulnerable to empowerment rights violations include:
-
Human rights advocates, protesters, and anyone who criticises the government
-
People from ethnic minorities, including Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, and Kazakhs
-
Detainees and those accused of crimes
-
People from religious minorities, particularly those practising Falun Gong or other unregistered religions, Christianity, or Islam
-
Internally displaced people
Right to assembly and association in East and Southeast Asia
Summary score
0
Score
10
Right to opinion and expression in East and Southeast Asia
Summary score
0
Score
10
Right to participate in government in East and Southeast Asia
Summary score
0
Score
10
Right to freedom of religion and belief in East and Southeast Asia
Summary score
0
Score
10
Country details
Population
9.9m (2021)
GDP/capita
$2,673 (2021)
current US dollars
$3,677 (2021)
2017 PPP dollars