Government restrictions on religion are at a worldwide high.
Social hostility toward religion, nonetheless, has ticked downward.
So concludes the Pew Research Center in its 14th annual evaluation of the extent to which 198 nations and territories—and their residents—impinge on religious belief and practice.
Some form of harassment of spiritual groups was recorded in all but eight.
The 2024 report, released earlier this month, draws primarily from greater than a dozen UN, US, European, and civil society sources, and reflects conditions from 2021, the newest yr with fully available data.
The global median on Pew’s 10-point scale of presidency restrictions reached 3.0 for the primary time ever, continuing a gentle rise for the reason that baseline rating of 1.8 in 2007. Overall, 55 nations (28%) recorded levels marked “very high” or “high,” only two lower than last yr’s total of 57.
Nicaragua was highlighted for harassment of Catholic clergy.
Regional differences are apparent: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) scored 5.9, up from its baseline rating of 4.7. Asia-Pacific scored 4.2, up from 3.2. Europe scored 3.1, up from 1.7. Sub-Saharan Africa scored 2.6, up from 1.7. And the Americas scored 2.1, up from 1.0.
Pew’s 20 measures of presidency restrictions included efforts to “ban particular faiths, prohibit conversion, limit preaching, or give preferential treatment to 1 or more religious groups.”
Some pertained to COVID-19, resembling Canada’s fines against open churches.
An extra 13 measures for acts of spiritual hostility by individuals or groups included “religion-related armed conflict or terrorism, mob or sectarian violence, harassment over attire for religious reasons, and other types of religion-related intimidation or abuse.”
Social hostilities toward religion continued to trend downward since a high of two.0 in 2018, decreasing to 1.6, the bottom rating since 1.2 in 2009. But 43 nations (22%) still recorded levels marked “very high” or “high,” though significantly fewer than the 65 offending nations in 2012.
Nigeria was cited for clashes between Muslim herders and Christian farmers.
The order of regional differences in social hostility matches that of presidency restrictions. MENA scored 3.6, returning to close its baseline rating of three.7 after peak years from 2012–2014. Asia-Pacific scored 1.9, up from 1.7. Europe scored 1.9, up from 1.2. Sub-Saharan Africa scored 1.3, up from 0.4. And the Americas scored 0.8, up from 0.3.
Only 4 nations recorded “very high” status in each categories: Afghanistan, Egypt, Pakistan, and Syria.
Joining them as repeat offenders for presidency restrictions were Algeria, Azerbaijan, China (highest with a rating of 9.1), Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Pakistan joined the list this yr with Turkmenistan, while Brunei and Eritrea dropped out.
Fewer nations were designated “very high” on social hostilities, but repeat offenders also included India, Israel, and Nigeria—highest with a rating of 8.9. No latest nations joined the list this yr, while Iraq, Libya, Mali, and Somalia dropped out.
Grading took place on a scale. The top 5 percent of countries in each index were categorized as “very high,” while the subsequent 15 percent were “high.” The following 20 percent were categorized as “moderate,” while the remaining 60 percent were “low.” (Though Pew recognizes North Korea as a transparent offending nation, it was not included within the report attributable to the lack of independent observers to have regular access.)
Most nations in each indexes showed little to no change of their rating. Only 16 recorded a moderate increase of 1.0–1.9 or higher of their combined rating, while only nine nations experienced an analogous decrease. And just one country, Sudan, witnessed a decline of two.0 or more for presidency restrictions, as a latest structure, now in limbo amid civil war, decriminalized apostasy.
For social hostilities, only Turkey and Bolivia declined similarly, the latter attributable to no reports—as in previous years—of Protestant missionaries expelled from indigenous areas. Conversely, Uganda and Montenegro witnessed 2.0 increases of their scores, the latter attributable to vandalization of mosques and harassment of Christian proselytization.
Most common, in response to Pew, is government harassment. More than 9 in 10 nations (183 total) tallied at the least one incident. Social harassment occurred in greater than 8 in 10 nations (160 total), and 157 nations experienced each.
Pew also tallied the kind of force or violence inflicted world wide. Property damage was commonest with 105 offending nations, with Europe registering the very best with 71 percent occurrence. The MENA region led percentage occurrence in all other types, with physical assaults recorded in a worldwide total of 91 nations, detentions in 77, displacement in 38, and killings in 45.
Ethiopia was noted for the deaths of 78 priests during its civil war.
Christians and Muslims remain the religious groups receiving harassment most generally. The number of countries harassing Christians increased from 155 to 160, up from a baseline total of 107. Nations harassing Muslims decreased from 145 to 141, but still up from the baseline variety of 96. Harassment of Jews also declined from 94 to 91, but was only recorded in 51 nations in 2007.
An “other” category of Baha’is, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians followed, harassed in 64 nations, followed by folk religions in 40. Violations against Buddhists (in 28 nations), Hindus (in 24), and an “unaffiliated” category of atheists, agnostics, and humanists (in 27) were less widespread.
A latest feature in Pew’s report tracked nations that provided advantages to non secular groups. With a complete of 161 countries qualifying, 127 supported religious education, 107 offered funds to construct or maintain religious buildings, and 67 compensated clergy to a point. Of the latter, greater than half (36 nations) gave preferential treatment to certain religions. And of the whole, 149 governments nonetheless harassed believers or interfered of their worship.
Saudi Arabia, Pew noted, gives stipends to imams yet restricts their sermons.
In addition to a tally of countries, Pew also organized data to measure the impact of restrictions and hostilities on a large scope of humanity. Among the 25 largest nations—representing 5.8 billion of the 7.8 billion world population in 2021—Egypt, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, and Nigeria recorded the very best overall levels. Japan, the United States, South Africa, Italy, and Brazil ranked lowest.
