In South Asia, CSW actively works to promote religious freedom in India, Nepal and Pakistan and Sri Lanka, a region torn by acute religious divisions.
In Hindu-majority India, Christians are frequently targeted in violent attacks by Hindu extremists, who are deeply opposed to the religious freedom of Dalits and ‘low’ castes, and portray Christianity as a foreign religion.
In Muslim-majority Pakistan, Christians and other religious minorities face violence and discrimination, particularly as a result of the abuse of the country's blasphemy laws and the rise of extremism. Churches have been attacked, Christians have faced threats to convert to Islam or face death, and many religious minorities have faced false charges of blasphemy and been imprisoned, and in some cases killed, as a result.
In Hindu-majority Nepal, there are as yet no legal guarantees of full religious freedom, especially the freedom to evangelise, own property for burial, or register organizations with Christian names.
In Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka, Christians face violent attacks on churches and pastors, and the threatend introduction of anti-conversion legislation.
For more information on individual countries in this region, please click on the relevant link below.
India
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka