Global Peace Index 2025: Humanity at a Crossroads as Peace Plummets

 

Global Peace Index 2025: Humanity at a Crossroads as Peace Plummets

Alkrty – Human Rights Bulletin- 22 August 2025

Introduction

The Global Peace Index (GPI), produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), remains the most comprehensive global measure of peace. Covering 163 nations and 99.7% of the world’s population, it evaluates peacefulness through 23 indicators across three domains:

Societal Safety and Security

Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict

Degree of Militarization

As peace deteriorates across continents, the findings of the GPI serve as an urgent warning to the global community and a rallying call for defenders of justice, dignity, and human rights.

Key Findings Global Peace Index 2025

The year 2025 marks a historic low in global peacefulness. The world is sliding toward dangerous instability, with indicators resembling conditions before World War II.

Peace at its lowest level since the GPI began.

Decline for 11 consecutive years: 100 countries worsened in the last decade.

59 active state-based conflicts in 2024 – the most since WWII.

152,000 conflict deaths in 2024, including 17 countries with over 1,000 deaths.

Conflicts increasingly internationalized: 78 states engaged in wars beyond their borders.

Economic cost of violence: $19.97 trillion in 2024 (11.6% of world GDP).

Fragmentation of global power: influential states grew from 13 (post–Cold War) to 34 in 2023.

This era of “Great Fragmentation” is reshaping geopolitics, where major power competition, middle-power assertiveness, asymmetric technologies, and fragile economies converge to create unprecedented risks.

Comparative Trends from Previous Years

GPI 2024

97 countries declined in peacefulness (record high).

Gaza & Ukraine conflicts drove 162,000 deaths in 2023.

92 countries engaged in external conflicts.

110 million displaced, with 16 nations hosting over 500,000 refugees each.

Global violence costs $19.1 trillion (13.5% of GDP).

Top 5 most peaceful: Iceland, Ireland, Austria, New Zealand, Singapore.

North America saw the largest regional decline.

GPI 2022

Average peace declined by 0.03%.

Russian invasion of Ukraine caused steep deterioration.

Terrorism dropped to its lowest since 2008 (70 countries free of attacks).

Violence costs $16.5 trillion (10.9% of GDP).

Least peaceful: Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Russia, South Sudan.

GPI 2021

Peace has fallen by 2% since 2008.

Widening gap between least and most peaceful states.

Middle East conflicts remain the greatest driver.

Militarization improved in 111 countries.

Top 5 peaceful: Iceland, New Zealand, Denmark, Portugal, Slovenia.

GPI 2020

Global peace declined by 0.34%.

MENA remained least peaceful, Europe most peaceful.

Economic cost: $14.5 trillion (10.6% of GDP).

Iceland ranked most peaceful since 2008.

Human Rights Perspective

As a human rights activist, I see in these figures not just numbers, but human lives shattered:

Millions of children are displaced from schools and homes.

Communities enduring mass atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Global economies prioritizing weapons over welfare.

The GPI confirms what victims of war already know: the world is failing to protect the vulnerable. When 59 wars rage simultaneously and 110 million are displaced, peace has become an empty promise for far too many.

Conclusion A Call for Action

The Global Peace Index 2025 is more than a report it is a warning to humanity. Without urgent global cooperation, peace will continue to erode, fueling displacement, famine, authoritarianism, and cycles of violence.

We must:

Strengthening international justice and accountability for atrocity crimes.

Redirect resources from militarization to human development.

Build peace on foundations of equity, dignity, and human rights.

Peace is not only the absence of war; it is the guarantee of justice, security, and humanity for all.

 

Alkrty – Human Rights Activist

Defending dignity, exposing injustice, demanding accountability