--- title: "RSF - World Press Freedom Index | Relief Applications" description: "Reporters Without Borders (RSF) wanted a tailored system to build its yearly World Press Freedom Index, which ranks 180 countries and regions. We built a…" url: https://reliefapplications.org/projects/rsf-world-press-freedom-index/ lang: en updated: 2026-11-11 --- # RSF - World Press Freedom Index Reporters Without Borders (RSF) wanted a tailored system to build its yearly World Press Freedom Index, which ranks 180 countries and regions. We built a platform for collecting questionnaires, including offline or low-bandwidth use, with response monitoring, custom algorithms to test index calculation methods, and a Power BI dashboard for real-time visualisation of results. - **Client**: Reporters Without Borders - **When**: Aug 2020–Jun 2021 - **Team**: 3 people - **Services**: [Info management & MEAL](https://reliefapplications.org/services/info-management/), [App development](https://reliefapplications.org/services/app-dev-and-maintenance/) - **Technologies**: Python, Django, Angular, Power BI, Leaflet, GraphQL, PostgreSQL, AWS SNS - **Industry**: Press Freedom and fundamental rights - **SDGs**: 17. Partnerships for the goals - **Client website**: [rsf.org](https://rsf.org/) Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières) is one of the world’s leading NGOs in the defense and promotion of freedom of information. Since 2002 RSF publishes on a yearly basis its World Press Freedom Index, the most relevant report about free press rights around the globe and with a massive impact and media coverage. The Index ranks 180 countries and regions according to the level of freedom available to journalists, evaluating the level of pluralism, independence of the media, quality of legislative framework and safety of journalists in each country. To create the index RSF builds a questionnaire that is translated to 20 languages and sent to journalists, media lawyers, researchers and other media specialists selected by RSF in each region. At the same time a team of in-house researchers keeps a detailed scrutiny of abuses and violence against journalists to create an Abuse indicator, that is used as quantitative indicator to ponderate the qualitative analysis of the situation in the country based on the replies to the questionnaires. RSF wanted to replace the current solution with a tailored made system to build next World Press Freedom Index. As a result, Relief Applications built a new platform that eased the way the data is collected and analysed. Since the first version of the platform our team has been working closely with RSF to update measurement techniques (new formulas) and improve the user experience in the platform, as well as enhance its general performance and functionalities. ## The challenge - Dissemination and collection of questionnaires - Analysis of the result (including data manipulation and ponderation) - Visualisation of the Index for web visitors ## What we did - Allow the questionnaires to be completed offline or with low bandwidth - Response monitoring through custom ID Database, visualisation and algorithms developed to handle multiple questionnaires and test different collecting/index calculation methodologies - A dynamic platform including BI (Business Intelligence) using Power BI allowing real time visualisation whenever necessary. Ad-hoc mapping tools available > The team was the best to understand what we wanted to achieve. During the making of the solution, they were absolutely dedicated, very available. In the end, they were able to deliver a tool that will change our way of doing the Index for the next couple of years. A huge thanks to all the women and men working there! > > Prem Samy, Head of the RSF World Press Freedom Index ![World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders: screen 1](https://reliefapplications.org/images/projects/slides/p072/01.webp) ![World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders: screen 2](https://reliefapplications.org/images/projects/slides/p072/02.webp) ![World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders: screen 3](https://reliefapplications.org/images/projects/slides/p072/03.webp) ![World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders: screen 4](https://reliefapplications.org/images/projects/slides/p072/04.webp) ![World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders: screen 5](https://reliefapplications.org/images/projects/slides/p072/05.webp) ![World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders: screen 6](https://reliefapplications.org/images/projects/slides/p072/06.webp) - [World Press Freedom Index](https://rsf.org/en/index) - [World Press Freedom Barometer](https://rsf.org/en/barometer) ## More projects - [MSF UK - REMIT: Research Management & Impact Tool Review](https://reliefapplications.org/projects/msf-uk-remit-research-management-impact-tool-review/): MSF UK - [Equality Fund - Impact Library: Data, Stories & Insights](https://reliefapplications.org/projects/equality-fund-impact-library/): Equality Fund - [HQAI - Innovation & IT Advice](https://reliefapplications.org/projects/hqai-innovation-and-it-advice/): HQAI - [WHO - Global Health Cluster Support](https://reliefapplications.org/projects/who-global-health-cluster-support/): WHO - [FIDH - Automated Timesheet Management System](https://reliefapplications.org/projects/fidh-automated-timesheet-management-system/): FIDH - [UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Platform](https://reliefapplications.org/projects/unesco-mab-platform-for-tracking-biosphere-reserves-submission-workflow/): UNESCO - [All projects](https://reliefapplications.org/projects/)