Lat: 9.9721
·
Lng: -84.1890
Human Development Index
0.830
UNDP HDR 2023
Political Rights Rating
1 / 7
Freedom House 2024
Civil Liberties Rating
1 / 7
Freedom House 2024
CIVICUS Monitor
Narrowed
CIVICUS 2024
ND-GAIN Score
53.00
ND-GAIN 2024
Civil Society Participation
0.879
V-Dem CSPI
Gender Inequality Index
0.217
UNDP GII 2023
Multidimensional Poverty
0.002
OPHI MPI 2023
ODA to NGOs / CSOs
$12.46M
OECD DAC 2023
Total ODA Received
$154.60M
OECD DAC 2023
Costa Rica occupies a distinctive position in this study as a middle-income democracy with a well-established tradition of civil society engagement. The country’s civil society includes a mature network of organisations engaged in environmental protection, indigenous rights, and gender equality advocacy. The ‘Narrowed’ CIVICUS rating reflects more recent concerns about restrictions on protest rights and tensions around austerity measures.
Costa Rica occupies a distinctive position among the countries in this study as a middle-income democracy in Central America with a well-established tradition of civil society engagement and social welfare provision. Unlike most countries in this dataset—which are low-income, post-conflict, or authoritarian contexts—Costa Rica's civic space challenges reflect the pressures facing established democracies rather than authoritarian state-civil society relations.
Costa Rica's civil society includes a mature network of organisations engaged in environmental protection, indigenous rights, gender equality, and social policy advocacy. The country has ratified major international human rights instruments and maintains constitutional protections for freedom of association and expression. The 'Narrowed' CIVICUS rating reflects recent concerns about the pace of democratic backsliding, including restrictions on the right to protest and tensions between the government and civil society over austerity measures and public sector reform.
The country is notable in this dataset for its relatively high scores on governance and development indicators alongside a functioning democratic system. However, Costa Rica also faces challenges related to growing inequality, migration from neighbouring countries, and fiscal pressures that have generated social conflict. Civil society organisations have been at the forefront of advocacy around these issues, and the government's responses to civic mobilisation—including the use of force against public sector strikes—have raised concerns among international observers about the durability of Costa Rica's democratic civic traditions.