PRESS RELEASE
Social Progress Index data shows that quality of life has stalled globally since 2021 with little prospect for a recovery under populist and authoritarian leaders.
(Washington, D.C. – January 15, 2026): According to the 2026 Global Social Progress Index, the World is at a turning point as decades of slow and steady progress has ended and, since 2021, the World has entered a new era of stagnation in quality of life. The report, published by the Social Progress Imperative, a US-based non-profit, shows that the slowdown covers almost every region, including the United States and China.
The 2026 Global Social Progress Index ("the Index") ranks 171 countries’ social performance since 2011 based on 57 social and environmental outcome indicators. The findings highlight that though the world has recovered economically from the COVID crisis, social progress has not. The stagnation in global social progress has been driven by declining rights but has now spilled into deteriorating performance on safety, environmental quality and health.
Rights and Voice, which is one of 12 components of the Social Progress Index, shows a 6 point decline since 2011 and a 1.9 point decline since 2021. Scores have also fallen on press freedom and academic freedom and acceptance of gays and lesbians. Nicaragua, El Salvador, Hungary, Turkey, India and Russia are all among the countries to have shown the biggest decline in rights, where authoritarian leaders hold sway. But the slowdown in social progress since 2021 is also driven by declines in Health, Safety and Environmental Quality. The rate of improvement has also slowed for Water and Sanitation, Housing and Information and Communications.
Commenting on the global results, CEO of the Social Progress Imperative, Michael Green, noted:
“We have got used to the world making slow but steady progress since the end of the Cold War. That era could be coming to an end. Under populist and authoritarian leaders, more countries are turning away from rights and inclusive development. Looking to the future, aid cuts and disruptions to global trade that make it harder for developing countries to finance their development suggest that this negative trend will accelerate through rising undernourishment and preventable deaths from infectious diseases. The world’s leaders gathering for the World Economic Forum in Davos need to face up to the scale of this crisis. Economic growth is not enough on its own. We need a formula for economic growth with sustainable social progress.”
There is hope from countries that have turned away from authoritarian populism. Brazil has shown significant improvement since the end of Jair Bolsonaro’s term as president, becoming a Tier 2 country for the first time this year and the leading country in the BRICS group. Poland has made strong gains since the defeat of the Law and Justice government and overtook the United States for the first time.
Learn more about the Social Progress Index rankings in our full report at socialprogress.org.
For further information, contact us.
The Social Progress Imperative, a US-based global nonprofit, is pioneering the use of social and environmental data to support decision-makers in prioritizing equitable and inclusive growth. Its evidence-based tools measure the true state of our society on issues that matter most – are people healthy and safe, do they live in an inclusive society, do they have access to opportunity, and more. Supported by a global network of local partners and advocates in more than 50 countries, the Social Progress Imperative’s tools help identify social vulnerabilities and opportunities to inform policies and investments that promote the well-being of people and the planet. Whether at a national, regional, local, or community level, the Social Progress Index is being implemented by leaders to measure how well countries or communities convert their resources into social and environmental outcomes that impact people's lives every day. Explore the data insight tools and join the conversation at socialprogress.org
PRESS RELEASE
Social Progress Index data shows that quality of life has stalled globally since 2021 with little prospect for a recovery under populist and authoritarian leaders.
(Washington, D.C. – January 15, 2026): According to the 2026 Global Social Progress Index, the World is at a turning point as decades of slow and steady progress has ended and, since 2021, the World has entered a new era of stagnation in quality of life. The report, published by the Social Progress Imperative, a US-based non-profit, shows that the slowdown covers almost every region, including the United States and China.
The 2026 Global Social Progress Index ("the Index") ranks 171 countries’ social performance since 2011 based on 57 social and environmental outcome indicators. The findings highlight that though the world has recovered economically from the COVID crisis, social progress has not. The stagnation in global social progress has been driven by declining rights but has now spilled into deteriorating performance on safety, environmental quality and health.
Rights and Voice, which is one of 12 components of the Social Progress Index, shows a 6 point decline since 2011 and a 1.9 point decline since 2021. Scores have also fallen on press freedom and academic freedom and acceptance of gays and lesbians. Nicaragua, El Salvador, Hungary, Turkey, India and Russia are all among the countries to have shown the biggest decline in rights, where authoritarian leaders hold sway. But the slowdown in social progress since 2021 is also driven by declines in Health, Safety and Environmental Quality. The rate of improvement has also slowed for Water and Sanitation, Housing and Information and Communications.
Commenting on the global results, CEO of the Social Progress Imperative, Michael Green, noted:
“We have got used to the world making slow but steady progress since the end of the Cold War. That era could be coming to an end. Under populist and authoritarian leaders, more countries are turning away from rights and inclusive development. Looking to the future, aid cuts and disruptions to global trade that make it harder for developing countries to finance their development suggest that this negative trend will accelerate through rising undernourishment and preventable deaths from infectious diseases. The world’s leaders gathering for the World Economic Forum in Davos need to face up to the scale of this crisis. Economic growth is not enough on its own. We need a formula for economic growth with sustainable social progress.”
There is hope from countries that have turned away from authoritarian populism. Brazil has shown significant improvement since the end of Jair Bolsonaro’s term as president, becoming a Tier 2 country for the first time this year and the leading country in the BRICS group. Poland has made strong gains since the defeat of the Law and Justice government and overtook the United States for the first time.
Learn more about the Social Progress Index rankings in our full report at socialprogress.org.
For further information, contact us.
The Social Progress Imperative, a US-based global nonprofit, is pioneering the use of social and environmental data to support decision-makers in prioritizing equitable and inclusive growth. Its evidence-based tools measure the true state of our society on issues that matter most – are people healthy and safe, do they live in an inclusive society, do they have access to opportunity, and more. Supported by a global network of local partners and advocates in more than 50 countries, the Social Progress Imperative’s tools help identify social vulnerabilities and opportunities to inform policies and investments that promote the well-being of people and the planet. Whether at a national, regional, local, or community level, the Social Progress Index is being implemented by leaders to measure how well countries or communities convert their resources into social and environmental outcomes that impact people's lives every day. Explore the data insight tools and join the conversation at socialprogress.org
.jpg)
.jpg)
