12-8-2021 De wereldvrede is voor het negende jaar op rij verslechterd, dit jaar met 0,07%. Dit is echter de op één na kleinste verslechtering in de geschiedenis van de Mondiale Vredesindex. IJsland blijft het meest vreedzame land ter wereld, een positie die het al sinds 2008 inneemt. Afghanistan blijft het minst vreedzame land ter wereld. Nederland staat op de 21e plaats.
Furthermore, in this year's report, eight out of the top 10 most peaceful countries in the world were found in Europe, making this continent the world's most peaceful region. This is the highest number of European countries that were ranked in the top ten since the inception of the Global Peace Index.
The Global Peace Index rates countries in terms of three aspects: societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and level of militarisation. By examining 99.7% of the world's population through these three domains, we find a GPI score, which shows this year that peacefulness has deteriorated yet again, and while the percentage may seem low, the deterioration is worryingly substantial. While peacefulness has in fact gotten worse for a consecutive 15 years since 2020, we have witnessed new trends and causes to the fall in peacefulness.
The emergence of a global pandemic has had a significant impact on violence. While violent conflicts improved, the number of violent demonstrations increased substantially - a total of more than 5,000 Covid-19 related violent events occurred this past year.
Pandemic-related violent incidents occurred in 158 countries around the world. This increase in COVID-19 related violent incidents, caused by violent demonstrations and riots, was fuelled by various changes: the imposed COVID-19 restrictions, anti-government sentiments, lockdowns, increasing unemployment rate and lack of economic support.
Bron: Vision of Humanity