Human rights in Zambia

Updated on Dec 18, 2024

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Human rights in Zambia are addressed in the constitution. However, the Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Zambia for 2012 by the United States Department of State noted that in general, the government's human rights record remained poor.

Serious abuses

The Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Zambia for 2012 noted the following serious human rights abuses:

abuses by security forces, including unlawful killings, torture, and beatings;

life-threatening prison conditions;

restrictions on freedom of speech, assembly, and association;

arbitrary arrest and prolonged pretrial detention;

arbitrary interference with privacy;

government corruption;

violence and discrimination against women, child abuse, and trafficking in persons;

discrimination against persons with disabilities and based on sexual orientation;

restrictions on labor rights, forced labor, and child labor; and

that the government generally did not take steps to prosecute or punish officials who committed abuses, allowing impunity to remain a problem.

The following are Zambia's ratings since 1972 in the Freedom in the World reports, published annually by Freedom House (1 is best, 7 is worst).

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