A global report from the CIVICUS Monitor has found that, as of the end of 2020, more people than ever before are living in closed, repressed, or obstructed countries, due to the combination of restrictive legislation under COVID-19 and the continued rise of authoritarian governments. The countries with the highest civic space rating can provide leadership and lessons: 9 of the 10 countries that have made the most progress on the SDGs have a civic space rating as ‘open’. The connection between fundamental freedoms and progress on sustainable development is clear; one cannot move forward without the other.