Ghana ranks 7th among African countries where people have the most freedom to speak and protest

• São Tomé and Príncipe and Cape Verde lead the list with an “Open” civic space rating.

• Ghana scores 60 and is rated “Obstructed”, meaning people face significant barriers to speaking, organising and protesting.

• CIVICUS says most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have restricted civic space, with only two rated “Open”.

For people to have a strong civic space, it means people have room to speak about government, join organisations, share their views, hold peaceful protests and campaign for change without facing serious restrictions.

The CIVICUS Monitor tracks these freedoms in 198 countries and territories. It gives each country a score from 1 to 100 and places it in one of 5 groups: Open, Narrowed, Obstructed, Repressed or Closed. A higher score means people generally have more room to exercise these freedoms.

READ ALSO: 9 in 10 people in Sub-Saharan Africa face major problems dealing with climate disasters – World Bank

According to data from the World Alliance for Citizen Participation, CIVICUS, Here are the 10: 

São Tomé and Príncipe is one of only two countries in Africa South of the Sahara rated Open by CIVICUS. This means people generally have a strong space to express their opinions, form groups and take part in peaceful public activities, although the country still has some challenges, including limited resources for civil society organisations.

Cape Verde also scores 88 and is rated Open. According to CIVICUS, people have relatively strong freedoms to speak, organise and peacefully assemble, making it one of the strongest environments for civic participation in the region.

READ ALSO: Ghana working to export electricity to Nigeria - Energy Minister reveals

Namibia has a score of 80, but CIVICUS places it one level below “Open”and is rated as ‘narrow’. Elections and public debate generally take place, but there are still concerns around protests, government criticism and pressure on some groups which means that the right to protest still faces limits.

Seychelles also receives 80. People have significant room to participate in politics and public life, although CIVICUS says some restrictions remain narrowed. 

Mauritius scores 77 and is rated Narrowed. This means civic freedoms are generally respected, but there are areas where people can face restrictions.

Botswana scores 72. People generally have considerable room to participate in politics and express their views. Regardless of the high score, CIVICUS still identifies restrictions that prevent it from receiving an “Open” rating. 

Ghana's score is 60, putting it in the Obstructed category. This does not mean Ghanaians cannot speak, protest or criticise the government; rather, CIVICUS says these freedoms face significant obstacles. Ghana's position is particularly notable because it has long been seen as one of West Africa's more democratic countries. 

READ ALSO: Terra industries raises $18m as Ghana drone factory nears opening, London office launches

South Africa also scores 60 and is rated as obstructed. The country has competitive elections, an active media and a strong culture of protest, but CIVICUS still finds serious concerns about this freedom.

Lesotho's 60 score means people have some space to speak and organise, but they also face significant barriers just like Ghana and South Africa which keeps the country in the Obstructed category.

Comoros scores 56, putting it below the other countries on this list, the lowest among the top 10. CIVICUS classifies its civic space as obstructed, meaning people can participate in public life but face important restrictions. 

The list should shows how much space ordinary people have to speak, organise, protest and make their voices heard.