Addis Abeba — Ethiopia's rule of law continues its steady decline, ranking 132nd out of 143 countries in the 2025 World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, released today. The country's score fell by 2.4% compared to last year, underscoring a five-year pattern of weakening institutions, shrinking civic space, and growing political interference.
According to the World Justice Project (WJP), the global rule of law recession has intensified in 2025, with 68% of countries, including Ethiopia, experiencing declines. "The expansion of authoritarian trends is the primary force behind this global deterioration," the WJP said, noting that checks and balances have weakened and judicial independence has eroded worldwide.
Ethiopia now ranks 30th out of 34 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, while Rwanda (39th globally), Namibia, and Mauritius remain the region's top performers.
Ethiopia's consistent slide is part of a broader downward trend. In 2022, it ranked 123rd out of 140 countries, with a noted "deterioration in Order and Security."
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In 2023, it fell to 129th out of 142, and in 2024, it slipped again to 130th out of 142, before this year's further decline to 132nd out of 143. Regionally, Ethiopia has remained near the bottom - 27th in 2022, and 30th from 2023 through 2025.
The 2025 Index highlights sharp declines in constraints on government powers, open government, and fundamental rights, three key factors where Ethiopia ranks among the lowest globally. Ethiopia's scores in "freedom of expression, assembly, and civic participation" all worsened in 2025, aligning with global trends that saw similar declines in over 70% of countries.
"Civic space continues to shrink worldwide, threatening the integrity of public discourse and accountability mechanisms," the report warned. The WJP added that judicial independence has been eroded by political interference in 61-67% of countries, "including Ethiopia."
Ethiopia's 2025 factor rankings reflect these vulnerabilities: Constraints on Government Powers (134th), Fundamental Rights (138th), Open Government (135th), and Regulatory Enforcement (137th) all rank near the bottom globally. The country performs slightly better in Absence of Corruption (96th) and Criminal Justice (104th) but remains below the global median in every category.
WJP's report came two weeks after the state appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) released a report revealing extensive violations of the right to movement between April and September this year through monitoring and investigations in the Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella, and Oromia regions.
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Globally, the top five countries in the 2025 Rule of Law Index are Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and New Zealand, while Venezuela, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Haiti, and Nicaragua occupy the lowest ranks.
"Rule of law is the foundation for peace, justice, and prosperity, yet it continues to weaken across much of the world," said Elizabeth Andersen, Executive Director of the WJP. "Reversing this trend requires urgent action to protect civic space, strengthen judicial independence, and ensure government accountability."
The World Justice Project (WJP) said this year's Index is based on more than 215,000 household and 4,100 expert surveys, covering 143 countries that represent 95% of the global population.
Ethiopia ranks 13th out of 16 among low-income countries, signaling significant structural and governance challenges across nearly all eight rule of law factors.
