Worldwide: The Church on the Run – IDP & Refugee report released

A new report released by Open Doors on 15 June 2022 traces the multiple ways Christian IDPs and refugees experience religious persecution. One of the report’s primary findings is that displacement of Christians from their homes and communities is a deliberate strategy of religious persecution, coinciding with the latest figures showing that there are now 100 million displaced persons in the world. The report also finds that Christian IDPs and refugees do not always leave persecution behind when they leave, but continue to face hostility and challenges in displacement settings, such as physical insecurity and psychological violence.

Global Gender Persecution Specialist Helene Fisher states: “In order to gain a complete picture of religious persecution, we need to look at both the church at home as well as the displaced church. Part of the deliberate strategy mentioned above is to fracture religious communities. Displacement is not just a by-product of persecution, but actually, in many cases, it is an intentional part of a broader strategy to drive out Christianity from the community or country.”

Religious persecution analyst Eva Brown adds: “Severe persecution doesn’t always stop once the individual flees. Christians who are forced on the run can be subjected to persecution at any stage, even if they settle in a country of perceived safety. In some cases, governments and even well-intentioned international organizations can be unfortunately complicit in intensifying discrimination against displaced Christians. This is why awareness of the multi-layered vulnerabilities is vital, so that the needs of marginalized IDPs and refugees can be best addressed.”