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In the latest instalment, the Charities Aid Foundation’s (CAF) World Giving Index (WGI) 2023, spanning 142 countries and millions of participants since 2009, reveals a remarkable display of compassion, with 4.2 billion people worldwide contributing to charitable causes over the past month.
Indonesia’s continued philanthropic generosity
For an unprecedented sixth consecutive year, Indonesia solidifies its position as the world’s most generous nation, according to the World Giving Index. However, the spotlight also shines on Ukraine, experiencing a notable ascent to secure the second spot, a significant jump from its 10th place ranking last year.
Asia’s ranking and unexpected giving patterns: religious and immigrant generosity
Asia is the third highest-scoring continent in the world – with Indonesia at the top overall and Myanmar coming in sixth place. These two countries also topped the list for most likely to give money. Other Asian countries that ranked highly in the overall World Giving Index include Singapore (22nd) and Malaysia (32nd).
Compared to the rest of the world, people in Asian countries tend to be more likely to donate money and less likely to help a stranger. But they tend to volunteer at a similar rate.
Half of the countries in Asia have a population that is over 90% religious, compared to just under a third of countries in the rest of the world. This potentially could help to explain the higher scores for donating money in Asia.
Indeed, this year’s WGI report also digs deeper into some of the factors that influence generosity and found very interesting patterns:
- People with strong religious beliefs generally have higher generosity index scores, except in Europe where it does not correlate.
- Nations with citizens reporting positive life evaluations, exemplified by Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, and Iceland, display heightened propensities to have made a gift or donated money to charity.
- Immigrants are more likely to give than nationals, particularly in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Those who say they were born in another country tend to have a higher index score than nationals on average in most regions.
Optimism amidst global turbulence
In a world grappling with multifaceted challenges, the CAF World Giving Index gives us reasons for hopeful optimism. The diversity of countries leading the index cover the spectrum of wealth, economic development, geography, language, religion, and culture. Giving is about building a connection with those around us, whether they are across the street or on the other side of the world.
At CAF, we encourage governments to do more to encourage those who can, to give the money and time that fosters vibrant, resilient civil society organisations as they face social and environmental challenges and the impact of conflict and population displacement.
Here are some highlights from the Index:
Top 10 most generous countries in the CAF World Giving Index 2023
- Indonesia
- Ukraine
- Kenya
- Liberia
- United States of America
- Myanmar
- Kuwait
- Canada
- Nigeria
- New Zealand
Most generous countries in specific categories
Top 10 countries for donating money:
- Myanmar
- Indonesia
- United Kingdom
- Ukraine
- Malta
- Sweden
- Denmark
- Netherlands
- Iceland
- Thailand
Top 10 countries for helping a stranger:
- Jamaica
- Liberia
- Libya
- Nigeria
- Kuwait
- Ukraine
- Senegal
- Kenya
- USA
- Sierra Leone
Top 10 countries for volunteering their time:
- Liberia
- Indonesia
- Tajikistan
- Kenya
- Sri Lanka
- Sierra Leone
- Madagascar
- Jamaica
- Chad
- USA
To improve future reports, share your thoughts about the WGI with us by emailing [email protected]. The CAF World Giving Index is based on data from Gallup’s World View World Poll, which is an ongoing research project carried out in more than 100 countries.
