The freedom house is a non-profit organization that strives to educate Americans on the rights of all individuals. It also provides assistance to individuals who are in trouble, and offers other forms of assistance to those who are in need.
Ukraine
According to Freedom House, Ukraine’s democracy is still improving, albeit at a slower pace than in some other post-Soviet countries. The organization’s most recent report rates Ukraine as a partly free state, based on seven criteria: media, political freedom, corruption, economic opportunity, justice, national identity and territorial integrity.
Media freedom in Ukraine is on par with Romania and incipient EU member Croatia. However, there has been an increase in uncritical reporting on television news, a sign that the Ukrainian media are largely uninterested in critical thinking.
In the field of national identity, there is a nifty law that allows the Ukrainian National Minority to use their native tongue to teach pre-schoolers in Ukrainian. The law also allows minorities to study their native language in primary education institutions.
Corruption in Ukraine is largely concentrated in the executive branch, including the presidency and the parliament, where there is little transparency. There is also an enduring clientelist system, and connections between law enforcement and far-right groups give the country’s Western allies reason for concern.
According to Freedom House, Russia’s democracy is not as advanced as its neighbors. Although the Kremlin has tried to portray Ukraine as a “hornet’s nest” of fascists, it is a false claim.
Denmark
In a report on Denmark, Freedom House stated that Denmark has a lot of work to do. The organisation cited many declarations in the immigration and civil rights areas.
One of the most important indicators is the quality of social communities. According to Statistics Denmark, only 8.2% of Danish citizens live in such a community. This translates into a growing percentage of Danes that don’t see friends or family regularly.
Another indicator is the ecological footprint. A small country like Denmark has a significant impact on the world. It shows the amount of nature needed to absorb waste and renew resources used for production.
While a green “national account” is a good idea, a more comprehensive and holistic approach is needed to track environmental sustainability.
The gross domestic product (GDP) has long been the pillar of Danish governance. Economists agree that it is the dominant measure of societal development.
Similarly, the quality of life in Denmark has not improved in recent years. As a result, the number of Danes who are happy with their lives has declined.
However, the government has implemented measures to improve the lives of its citizens. For example, the new supervisory diamond implemented by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority is a good example.
Estonia
According to Freedom House, Estonia is free, but it has some areas where its government should improve. The report focuses on the government’s adherence to civil liberties, freedom of the press, and the right to assembly.
A major challenge is corruption. In the last two years, three Nordic banks have been implicated in money laundering cases in Tallinn.
Estonia’s political parties are vulnerable to improper influence by private interests. This has led to a number of scandals. One of these was a radio broadcast in which Mart Helme attacked US president-elect Joe Biden.
Other issues include a high incarceration rate and poor health outcomes for inmates. There are also allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officials when arresting suspects.
There are no limits on internet access in Estonia. However, some websites are blocked. For example, the government was recently forced to block Russian state-linked websites after Russia invaded Ukraine.
There are few restrictions on online speech, but comments on news sites are sometimes removed. Estonian politicians have raised concerns about self-censorship.
While Estonia’s democratic institutions are generally strong, it has been challenged by a rise in far-right forces. Many of the members of the Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) have promoted controversial views on minority groups.
Iceland
Iceland has a long history of protecting individuals’ rights. The country is rated highly by Freedom House and is ranked as one of the most free countries in the world.
It is a parliamentary democracy, which means that each citizen has a right to vote. Parliamentary elections are held every four years. An elected representative from the ruling party becomes the prime minister. In the past, the president has been directly elected for a four-year term, but he or she is not subject to term limits.
There is a multi-party system. However, some politicians are closely tied to business interests. This remains a concern.
One of the major concerns is the concentration of private media ownership. This issue is addressed by amendments to the Electronic Communications Act, which aim to ensure that the government does not monopolize internet services.
Another issue is the dearth of a well-defined set of responsibilities. Although the Government can initiate legislation, it does not have the authority to force companies to disclose their equipment.
A controversial 2017 injunction that shut down the newspaper Stundin was lifted. That same year, the Foreign Affairs Appeals Committee reversed a decision to deport a Nigerian asylum seeker.
New Zealand
New Zealand is a relatively free country that has experienced impressive growth since independence in 1907. According to Freedom House, the country scored 99 out of 100 on its 2018 “Free” Index.
The nation has a free political system. It allows all residents to participate in the electoral process. Moreover, the political process is not stifled by revolving doors between political and lobbying groups.
New Zealand has a strong legal and regulatory framework that protects private businesses. Additionally, the government does not interfere with people’s right to study, work, or where they live.
Although there have been large protests in recent years, the government has generally been able to deal with them without causing problems. A large number of women’s rights and environmental campaigns were held in 2017.
The government reacted to the Christchurch terrorist attack by collaborating with tech companies to remove material depicting the attack from online platforms. They also implemented measures to prevent future attacks.
The government has been successful in prosecuting the Christchurch mosque attacker. But some of the country’s minority communities have experienced discrimination in the workplace, schools, and healthcare systems.
The government has taken steps to improve the representation of Maori interests. For example, seven of the Parliament’s constituency seats are reserved for Maori. Nevertheless, Maori have disproportionately high unemployment rates.
Serbia
According to Freedom House, Serbia is not a democratic state. The organization describes the country as a “hybrid regime” that has been characterized by political repression and non-free elections. However, the report also notes that civil society plays a key role in these regimes.
The political system in Serbia may be at a crossroads between strengthening democratic institutions and democratic regression. This is reflected in the state’s overall score. Its corruption rating declined from 3.50 to 3.25 due to the presence of corruption scandals. In addition, the country’s civil society rating declined from 5.50 to 5.25.
During the last three years, the media landscape in Serbia has become more and more controlled by the government. Most of the major news outlets are owned by the government. Some journalists are also under constant pressure and sometimes liable to criminal prosecution for their work.
In the lead-up to the elections, international NGOs condemned the systematic targeting of the independent news outlet KRIK. Although KRIK was able to survive the pressure, the report found that the smear campaign against critics of the government was not limited to the mainstream media.
Overall, Serbia’s internet freedom environment remains relatively open. While the country has suffered from some online content restrictions, such as censorship of social media, the overall score of internet freedom in the country is comparatively high.
United States
According to Freedom House, the United States is a “Free country.” It is a nation where the government does not force internet providers to block protected speech.
The Trump administration has implemented a variety of measures that are undermining the free flow of information. It has attempted to curtail the number of refugees entering the country.
During the last administration, there were many instances of discriminatory immigration policies. Some officials were forced to resign after allegations of improper behavior. Others were dismissed abruptly. This has caused a major loss of confidence in US institutions.
There have been numerous cases of police brutality and intimidation. Several journalists have been harassed or beaten. Many embattled human rights defenders have been detained.
Although the United States is a vibrant democracy with strong rule of law practices, its ability to advance democratic values depends on addressing domestic shortcomings. Especially in the wake of the recent presidential election, the United States remains vulnerable to antidemocratic threats.
In addition, the political climate in the United States has been marked by increasing partisanship and attacks on officeholders. A national survey commissioned by Freedom House indicates that a majority of Americans believe that their country’s democracy has weakened.
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