Washington D.C., Nov 26, 2018 / 12:12 pm
"Aggressive nationalism" is a principal driver of violence and intimidation targeting religious minorities in certain parts of the world, according to the international papal charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
The charity last week accused a "religiously illiterate West" of ignoring the plight of religious minorities primarily in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, saying that "most Western governments" have failed to provide adequate aid to those persecuted and to migrants.
ACN's Nov. 22 report, Religious Freedom in the World 2018, is based on a 25-month review of all 196 of the world's nations. The report highlights 38 nations with significant religious freedom violations, and in more than half of those countries, conditions for religious minorities have deteriorated since 2016.
"Pope Francis, as well as his immediate predecessors, have all stressed that religious freedom is a fundamental human right rooted in the dignity of man," Thomas Heine-Geldern, executive president of ACN, said in a statement.