Namibians experience most violence globally – report
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
Namibia is the country where the experience of violence is the greatest worldwide, with 63% of the population having experienced serious harm from violence or known someone who had in the past two years.
This is according to the 15th edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI), which ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness.
Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the GPI is the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness.
The report said the five countries with the largest proportion of people who experienced violence or know someone who had are all in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Namibia has the highest rate in the world, at 63.3%, followed by South Africa (57.9%), Lesotho (56.1%), Liberia (55.2%), and Zambia (53.9%).”
The report, however, ranked Namibia amongst the top 10 most peaceful countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
A total of 44 sub-Saharan countries were ranked in this sub-category. Overall, 163 countries were ranked worldwide, and Namibia was 65th, five places down from its ranking last year.
Among sub-Saharan countries, Namibia was ranked 10th, compared to last year when it was at 8th place.
Mauritius was ranked as the most peaceful country in sub-Saharan Africa, followed by Ghana and Botswana, while South Sudan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are ranked as the least peaceful in the region.
Iceland still most peaceful
According to the report, Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world - a position it has held since 2008. It is joined at the top of the index by New Zealand, Denmark, Portugal and Slovenia.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan is the least peaceful country in the world for the fourth consecutive year, followed by Yemen, Syria, South Sudan and Iraq.
The report said the average level of global peacefulness deteriorated by 0.07%.
It further revealed a world in which the conflicts and crises that emerged during the last decade have started to abate, only to be replaced with a new wave of tension and uncertainty because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
While some forms of violence declined in the short-term, growing unease with lockdowns and rising economic uncertainty in civil unrest increased last year, the report said.
Over 5 000 pandemic-related violent events were recorded between January 2020 and April 2021.
“The changing economic conditions in many nations increases the likelihood of political instability and violent demonstrations,” according to the report.
WINDHOEK
Namibia is the country where the experience of violence is the greatest worldwide, with 63% of the population having experienced serious harm from violence or known someone who had in the past two years.
This is according to the 15th edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI), which ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness.
Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the GPI is the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness.
The report said the five countries with the largest proportion of people who experienced violence or know someone who had are all in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Namibia has the highest rate in the world, at 63.3%, followed by South Africa (57.9%), Lesotho (56.1%), Liberia (55.2%), and Zambia (53.9%).”
The report, however, ranked Namibia amongst the top 10 most peaceful countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
A total of 44 sub-Saharan countries were ranked in this sub-category. Overall, 163 countries were ranked worldwide, and Namibia was 65th, five places down from its ranking last year.
Among sub-Saharan countries, Namibia was ranked 10th, compared to last year when it was at 8th place.
Mauritius was ranked as the most peaceful country in sub-Saharan Africa, followed by Ghana and Botswana, while South Sudan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are ranked as the least peaceful in the region.
Iceland still most peaceful
According to the report, Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world - a position it has held since 2008. It is joined at the top of the index by New Zealand, Denmark, Portugal and Slovenia.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan is the least peaceful country in the world for the fourth consecutive year, followed by Yemen, Syria, South Sudan and Iraq.
The report said the average level of global peacefulness deteriorated by 0.07%.
It further revealed a world in which the conflicts and crises that emerged during the last decade have started to abate, only to be replaced with a new wave of tension and uncertainty because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
While some forms of violence declined in the short-term, growing unease with lockdowns and rising economic uncertainty in civil unrest increased last year, the report said.
Over 5 000 pandemic-related violent events were recorded between January 2020 and April 2021.
“The changing economic conditions in many nations increases the likelihood of political instability and violent demonstrations,” according to the report.
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