More than half of the world’s population lives in countries where religious believers experience persecution, according to a new report by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). Christians are the most persecuted religious group globally.
The ACN report sheds light on the dire situation faced by many religious believers.
The period under review (January 2021 – December 2022) was dominated by Covid-19 and it was “especially catastrophic for a number of religious minorities who were targeted with impunity while international attention was elsewhere”, according to the report editor, Marcela Szymanski.
The report found that in 61 countries, citizens faced severe violations of religious freedom. The two most populous countries in the world, China and India, are among the worst religious freedom violators.
Christians, partly because they are numerous and widespread, are the most persecuted religious group globally. In many countries, they face systematic oppression, violent attacks, and severe restrictions on their religious freedoms. This persecution is driven by various factors, including authoritarian regimes, extremist groups, and socio-political conflicts.
Reported aggressions against Jews also increased in the West in the period under review (2021-22).
In the Middle East, Christians continue to suffer immensely. Iraq and Syria, once home to vibrant Christian communities, have seen dramatic declines in their Christian populations due to ongoing conflict and targeted attacks by extremist groups like ISIS. Many Christians in these regions are internally displaced or have fled to other countries as refugees.
Africa is another hotspot for anti-Christian violence. In large countries like Nigeria, Christians are frequently targeted by Boko Haram and other Islamist militant groups. The report highlights numerous incidents of churches being attacked, clergy being kidnapped or killed, and Christian communities living in constant fear.
In Asia, Christians face persecution in several countries, including China, India, and Pakistan. In China, the government’s stringent control over religious practices and crackdown on house churches have severely restricted Christians’ ability to worship freely. India has seen a rise in Hindu nationalist violence against Christians, with increasing reports of forced conversions, church demolitions, and physical assaults. In Pakistan, blasphemy laws continue to be a significant threat to Christians, with accusations often leading to mob violence and lengthy imprisonments.
“No Western nation can truthfully claim they do not know about the abuses occurring in the Arabian Peninsula, China, Pakistan and Nigeria,” the report says. “With the West looking the other way, often motivated by the need to guarantee the provision of natural and energy resources, the perpetrators become more assertive and make local legislation more restrictive. In this way, impunity is tacitly granted to perpetrators by the ‘international community’.”
Despite these challenges, the resilience of Christian communities is remarkable. Many continue to practice their faith courageously, even in the face of persecution. One example is Sr Gloria Cecilia Narváez Argoty, a Franciscan sister who wrote the Foreword of the ACN report. Sr Gloria worked specially with women in a Muslim-majority region in southern Mali and was kidnapped for almost five years. In the report, she gives a moving account of her experience.
The report calls for increased international attention and action to protect religious freedoms. It urges governments and international organisations to hold perpetrators accountable and to support initiatives that promote religious tolerance and coexistence.
ACN emphasises the importance of solidarity with persecuted Christians. It encourages advocacy efforts, humanitarian aid, and interfaith dialogue as crucial steps toward alleviating the plight of persecuted religious communities.
