Overview of Human Rights in Italy

Italy is a democratic republic. Italy has a generally good human rights record and the Italian government works to respect the civil and human rights of its citizens.  However, some problem areas do remain. Reports of police abuse of detainees, as well as chronic prison overcrowding often occur. High levels of suicide, lack of adequate medical assistance, and the spread of infectious diseases in Italian prisons are ongoing issues of concern. The judiciary is considered to be slow and thus justice is not swift in being served. Pre-trial detention can stretch into months, sometimes even a year, depending on the backlog in the justice system. Roma (Gypsies) and other ethnic minorities suffer discrimination in housing, employment and also do not enjoy consistent protection from violence. Child labor and abuse as well as trafficking in persons, especially children, are also points of concern in Italy.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank: 17th out of 103

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.