Report: 63% of the world's population lives in countries where they cannot freely witness their Christian faith

According to a report of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), almost 5 billion people (63% of the world’s population) live in countries where free Christian witness is restrained or even forbidden. During the last three years, the number of countries where Christians are killed or kidnapped has reached 40.

Also, according to ACN research, almost 340 million Christians worldwide — or 1 out of every 7 — live in a country where they suffer persecution, such as arbitrary arrest, violence, a full range of human rights violations and even murder.

The report shows the African continent as the most violently anti-Christian, in the context of widespread jihadi violence.

Another finding is that conditions for Christians in the Middle East may be worse now than during the ISIS occupation, while the indifference of the global society to their plight only makes things worse:

Lebanon: The explosion in Beirut on August 4, 2020, seriously damaged the city’s Christian quarter, leading Church leaders to question its long-term survival prospects.
Syria: Over the past decade, the Christian population has plummeted from 1.5 million to 300,000. In areas controlled by Islamic militants, Church leaders in the public eye are regularly attacked, and many churches have been destroyed.
Iraq: Only around 150,000 Christians remained, and many could still emigrate. In addition to a persistent threat of violence, Iraqi Christians face discrimination at work and at school.
Iran: Christians can lose their jobs or the right to an education simply because of their faith.
Saudi Arabia: The Christian population consists mostly of migrant workers from Africa or Asia. Because of their ethnicity and faith, their labour is exploited and under-compensated, while there is a constant risk of deportation.
Yemen and other countries affected by humanitarian crises: Christians are less likely to receive emergency aid, which is often distributed by mosques.

This 2023 report is the 16th edition of Aid to the Church in Need’s Religious Freedom in the World Report, produced every two years. It includes information from ACN and other local sources, background material, case studies and regional analysis.

ACN is a Catholic charity providing emergency aid and pastoral support to the persecuted and suffering Church in 140 countries.

Photo credit: Aid to the Church in Need