Overview of Human Rights in Burma

Since its independence in 1966, Botswana has maintained the status of a multiparty democracy. The government of Botswana generally respects the civil and human rights of its citizens with a few notable exceptions. There have been reports that the police use excessive force or arbitrary detainment in order to obtain evidence and confessions of detainees. Prison conditions are poor and overcrowding is a serious issue. The government has been known to harass independent journalists and limit freedoms of speech and press. Human rights activists also face violence and harassment as well. Child abuse and violence against ethnic San are also ongoing areas of concern.  Overall, however, Botswana has a better than average record of human rights, when compared with other countries in the world, and one of the best records among the countries of the developing world.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

131st out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.