We like to pretend we live in a modern world, in a world where life is just and there are no horrible things happening around us, but there are terrible things happening, especially in these 10 most barbaric countries in the world.
What type of things? Well, there are many going on, some backed by religious extremism, some by old traditions, some by the entitlement some men have over others. For instance, there are many countries where executions are perfectly fine, countries where children, mostly girls, are married off at a young age, perhaps even with grown up men. Then, there are areas in the world where death by stoning is an acceptable punishment, or where mutilating female genitalia is anything else than a way to control women. You may read more upon this horrifying issue in our article on 11 Worst Countries for Gender Equality, and we had also prepared a detailed list on 10 Most Corrupt Countries in the World in 2015, so you can learn more about those problems, as well.
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There are many, many terrible things that humans do in a world where we like to say we’re “modern” and yet we’re not far from the barbarians of past, perhaps even worse in some ways. For this list, we checked out the countries where the death sentence was still in force, where female genital mutilation is common, where stoning people as punishment is acceptable and where marrying your children off is something that’s frequently done. We ranked these countries and then added up the numbers in order to get the total scores.
Without further ado, here are the 10 most barbaric countries in the world.
10. Djibouti
Total score – 27
Located in the Horn of Africa, the Republic of Djibouti is a country with less than a million people. What earned this country its points? Well, it’s the country with the third highest percentage of girls and women whose genitals were mutilated, despite it being illegal. While this procedure is often done on women or young women, it is also performed on girls between the ages of 5 and 9. In fact, 62% of the girls that were cut went through this ordeal at this young age.
If you’re wondering just how the country ranks in terms of freedom, you shouldn’t be too surprised to find out that Freedom House grades it as “not free”. This is due to the attitude the ruling administration has had, trying to repress and harass journalists, human rights activists, and opposition leaders. If you are interested in finding out about the countries on the other side of the spectrum, check our recent articles on 10 Freest Countries in the World.
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9. Sudan
Total score – 27
Up next on our list of most barbaric countries in the world is Sudan, a country that’s located in the northeast area of Africa, bordering Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Chad, the Central African Republic and Libya. Home to over 40 million people, Sudan is also one of the countries where female genital mutilation is an acceptable procedure, with some 88% of women having gone through this ordeal.
The country also allows death sentences, including by stoning. This is mostly reserved for women who cheated on their husbands, as well as Muslims who convert to Christianity, making it a rather dangerous place to live in if you value freedom. In fact, Freedom House marks its status as “not free,” offering it an aggregated score of 6.
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8. Egypt
Total score – 29
Situated both in Africa and Asia, Egypt is home to over 92 million people. A country with a vast history, Egypt has gone through numerous changes in the past few years, especially following what is known as the “Arab Spring”.
In the past few years, Egypt has sunk lower and lower in many ways. The country now ranks fourth among the states with the highest percentage of girls and women who were mutilated – 91%, although here, compared to other states where this procedure seems to be the norm, most of these barbarian acts are performed by medical professionals.
The country is also one that has seen the most executions in 2015. According to Amnesty International, at least 22 people were killed in such a manner, while some 538 were sentenced to death, most of whom were accused of being supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood. Nowadays, Freedom House marks Egypt as “Not Free.” For a minute there, in 2013, Freedom House thought things would get better and improved the rating to “Partly Free.”
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7. The Central African Republic
Total score – 29
Located in the heart of the African continent, the Central African Republic ranks 7th in our list of most barbaric countries in the world. It is home to over 4.7 million citizens. The country appears on a blacklist of nations where women and girls are subjected to genital mutilation. Unlike in the previous nations on our list, here, “only” about 24% of women were forced to endure such tortures, 52% of them being mutilated between ages of 10 and 14.
Another barbaric procedure, the Central African Republic is the nation with the second highest rate of child marriage – 68%. UNICEF estimates that 29% of girls married by the age of 15, and 68% before they turned 18. The legal minimum age for civil marriage in the Central African Republic is 18, although marriage at 13 can be permitted if approved by a court or if the girl is pregnant. Marriage at earlier ages is also legal if the parents consent, which falls in line with the local cultural practice.
The ongoing conflict in the area hasn’t helped the situation much, with domestic abuse and sexual violence against women being on the rise. Freedom House marks the country as “not free”.
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6. Eritrea
Total score – 30
Located in the Horn of Africa, the country borders Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, as well as the Red Sea. With a population of around 6 million people, it’s rather sad to see such high numbers of people subjected to terrifying procedures. What procedures? Well, 89% of the women in the country have undergone genital mutilation, a procedure that is seen by 60% of women as a religious requirement. Eritrea also ranks 16th on the list of countries with the most child marriages performed. Some 41% of the girls here were married as children.
Other human rights violations were reported in the country, as remarked by the United Nations Human Right Council, all committed by the government. Some, they say, could even be considered crimes against humanity. Things have gotten so bad that many Eritreans are attempting to flee, many heading for Europe. And now, let’s see what else we have on our list of most barbaric countries in the world.
5. Burkina Faso
Total score – 33
Located in West Africa, Burkina Faso has been a bit of a powder keg in the past few years. While political and social issues come and go, there are other types of procedures that seem to be on the rise. For instance, 76% of the women in this country have suffered from genital mutilation. While in other nations, women themselves see this as something that must be done due to religious constraints, here only 9% of women support this type of procedures.
Burkina Faso also ranks eighth on a list of countries where underage girls are married off. Some 54% of girls were child brides in this country, 10 percent of them being married before the age of 15, a move that is often linked to poverty, but also tradition and lack of education.
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4. Chad
Total score – 34
Chad ranks 4th on our list of most barbaric countries in the world. It is a country in the Central Africa, bordering Libya, Sudan, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Niger, being the fifth largest country on the continent in terms of area. It is home to over 13.6 million people, most of whom have been affected in one way or another by terrorist attacks taking place throughout the country. This is also a country where Boko Haram has been fighting with local military troops, adding to the madness.
On the other hand, Chad has some pretty messed up traditions too. 44% of women underwent genital mutilation practices, something that over a quarter of the country’s men and boy believe to be a religious requirement.
Chad also ranks third on a list of countries where child marriage is acceptable and encouraged, with 68% of girls going through the terrifying experience of being married off to a strange man, usually much older than them. 29% of child marriages occur before the age of 15, and this isn’t an issue of wealth as it is in many other nations, since it happens in all sorts of households.
Chad also appears on the list of countries with most executions.
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3. Mali
Total score – 41
In the western area of Africa is Mali which ranks third in our list of most barbaric countries in the world, a country that’s faced violent times in recent years. With over 14 million people, Mali offers some pretty sad statistics. That’s because 89% of the girls in this country are forced to undergo genital mutilation procedures, most of which are actually daughters of mothers who oppose the practice, as UNICEF points out in a report.
Mali also ranks fourth among the nations where child marriage is acceptable, with 55% of girls being married off before they reach the age of adulthood. In fact, 15% of these marriages happen before the girls even turn 15.
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2. Somalia
Total score – 42
Somalia ranks second on our list of most barbaric countries in the world. It is an eastern nation in Africa, bordering Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Kenya, as well as the Indian Ocean. It is home to nearly 11 million people, and life hasn’t been easy to people living here, especially since the country is known as one of the modern motherland for pirates.
Sadly, Somalia is also the top-ranking country among nations where girls and women are subjected to genital mutilation – 98%. In a terrifying and sickening detail, UNICEF notes that 83% of girls who underwent this type of procedure had their genitalia sewn closed.
And yet, this is a nation that also ranks high for child marriages. 8% of girls are married before they’re even 15, the number growing to 45% until they reach 18 years of age.
Somalia also gets points for the many executions that have taken place on its territories.
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1. Guinea
Total score – 44
And we’re finally at the top of our list of most barbaric countries in the world – Guinea, a nation on the west coast of Africa, home to over 11 million people.
96% of girls living in this country have been forced to go through genital mutilation, making it the country with the second highest rate. According to UNICEF, 19% of girls and women think this type of procedures should stop taking place, while 42% of boys and men share this opinion. Unfortunately, however, they continue to take place.
Guinea is also the fifth ranking country for child marriages, 21% of girls being married off before they even turn 15, the number growing to 52% for girls younger than 18. Poverty and lack of access to education seem to be the major reasons behind these practices.
That being said, there are many things that should be done to put a stop to this type of actions in these 10 most barbaric countries in the world.
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