Overview of Human Rights in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a parliamentary democracy. The islands are an independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth. While the government works to respect the human rights of its citizen, there are a few areas where abuses still persist. Law enforcement officials use excessive force against suspects and detainees. They often do so with impunity. Prison conditions are poor and deteriorating each year. The court system is understaffed and overburdened. This leads to inefficiency and long delays in trial. Child abuse continues to be an area of concern for the nation. That said, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines enjoy a stronger human rights record than many other countries in the world.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

88th 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.