Report: ‘Govt needs to better support persecuted Christians’

Recommendations set out in the Bishop of Truro’s 2019 report on supporting persecuted Christians has helped focus attention on the issue, a review has found.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) commissioned a review of the implementation of the 2019 report on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), which made 22 recommendations with a three-year target.

Although the review noted that implementation was affected by the coronavirus pandemic, it found many involved in human rights work “reported that they are giving greater consideration to both Christian persecution and FoRB” as a result of the report.

‘Awareness’

The review concluded: “Overall, the implementation of the Recommendations has assisted in heightening awareness of FoRB for all, and the need to ensure that the persecution of Christians is addressed in as full a fashion as is the persecution of others.

“During the last three years, there have been many positive developments and initiatives undertaken to bring this about. However, there remains scope for further developments in order to ensure that the protection of FoRB for all becomes firmly embedded in the operational approach of the FCDO as a whole.”

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss accepted the findings and the “need to continue to work to promote and strengthen Freedom of Religion or Belief as a fundamental human right for all”.

She said: “We will do this, working alongside others, to deliver real change for the good, protecting and promoting everyone’s right to freedom of religion or belief.”

Freedom

Jeremy Hunt, who commissioned the Bishop of Truro’s Report when he was Foreign Secretary, welcomed her response saying: “Too many people are dying every day for their faith (including more Christians than any other faith).”

Following publication of the review, the Prince of Wales urged delegates at the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief to do all within their power to “reinforce the rights to be free”.

At the conference, Government representatives from 30 nations signed a broad statement on the right to freedom of religion or belief.

Christian MP Fiona Bruce has been the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief since December 2020.