Religiously unaffiliated people face harassment in a growing number of countries
Religiously unaffiliated people were harassed by governments, private groups or both in 27 countries in 2020.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Religiously unaffiliated people were harassed by governments, private groups or both in 27 countries in 2020.
In 2020, properties in 102 of the 198 countries and territories in the study were targeted in incidents tied to religion.
Social hostilities around the world involving religion declined in 2019 to the lowest level in five years.
Our study analyzes 198 countries and territories and is based on policies and events in 2020, the most recent year for which data is available.
Malala Yousafzai’s shooting came at a time when social hostilities involving religion were at a high point, both globally and in Pakistan.
Levels of restrictions and hostilities vary tremendously by country, from some of the lowest in the world (South Africa) to among the very highest (Indonesia).
The U.S. ranks in the middle range of the nearly 200 countries we analyzed to assess restrictions on religion and social hostilities toward religious groups.
A new Pew Research analysis finds that 30 of the world’s countries (15%) belong to a unique group of nations that call for their heads of state to have a particular religious affiliation.
Though religious property damage by governments were most common in the Middle East-North Africa region, instances have occured in every region of the world.
Highlights from the fifth annual Pew Research Center study of religious hostilities around the world.
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